New Zealand government halts waste minimisation law updates

The New Zealand government has announced that long-awaited updates to the Waste Minimisation and Litter Acts will not be introduced to Parliament during the current term. The government informed stakeholders that no further work is progressing on these legislative changes.

Zero Waste Aotearoa stated that the proposed updates would have provided businesses and households with modern laws to reduce waste, litter, and emissions. Sue Coutts, Director of External Affairs for Zero Waste Aotearoa, criticized the decision, suggesting that environmental protection and resource efficiency are not government priorities.

The organization noted that the background work and public consultations for these changes have been completed over the last six years. Additionally, the deadline for phasing out PVC and polystyrene food and beverage packaging continues to be delayed, which advocates claim creates barriers to investment in the reuse and recycling sectors.