New Zealand and UK announce new recycling initiatives

New Zealand has announced a nationwide regulated rural recycling scheme set to begin in March next year. Managed by the not-for-profit Agrecovery Foundation, the initiative aims to increase the recovery of farm plastics, including agrichemical containers, bale wrap, and silage sheets. The scheme will replace current voluntary programs with a mandatory take-back system funded by producer fees, expanding the existing network of approximately 240 sites.

In the United Kingdom, Defra is launching an industry forum to address delays in soft plastic collections. This follows the decision to postpone mandatory kerbside collection of soft plastics in England until 2030. The forum will involve local authorities, retailers, and waste management operators to develop a roadmap for recycling, sorting, and end markets to prevent the potential removal of existing supermarket collection points.