Zero wasters! Have your say on proposed update to NZ Waste Strategy & Waste Laws and Emissions Reduction Plan

… is to bring together information to help you make a submission

Page contents (Read through or scroll down to the bit you are interested in)

1. What is the waste consultation about?
2. Submission guide templates prepared by Zero Waste Network and by Para Kore
3. Access to working drafts of a full joint submission being led by the Zero Waste Network
4. Initial reactions/commentary from the zero waste sector in the media – in print, on television, and on the radio.
5. Links to webinars and panel discussions about the consultations by Zero Waste Network, Para Kore and Ministry for the Environment.

1. What is the waste consultation about?

Te Kawe i te haepapa para – Taking responsibility for our waste.

The consultation proposes to update New Zealand’s waste strategy and legislation.

• This consultation is open until 10 December 2021.
• Read the full 82-page consultation paper
• Check out the short 6-page snapshot version
• HAVE YOUR SAY –> When you are ready to make a submission, here’s the Waste Strategy and Legislation consultation portal

A waste strategy should set the national direction on waste minimisation – telling us where we are going, how we’ll get there, and who will do what. It should set some big high-level visions and principles, with targets to work towards and drive progress.

The Government consultation is proposing a new draft strategy for Aotearoa and wants to know if you think it hits the mark.

Waste legislation creates the rules for all things waste-related, giving people and organisations legally binding roles and responsibilities, and giving local and central government certain powers to make laws that will help reduce waste. It should help to turn the strategy into reality.

The Government consultation is proposing to overhaul our waste legislation and add a whole bunch more rules, roles, responsibilities and powers. It wants to know what you think and whether or not it’s covered everything or missed something important.

Waste Strategy & Legislation

We have made two guides! Choose the one that works best for you:

1. Quick submission template for individuals: this one page graphic guide gives you the tools and prompts you need to write an awesome submission that you can copy and paste into Question #1 of the consultation portal.
2. More detailed personal/organisational submission: use this guide template (17 pages) to inform your answers to the questions that most matter to you.

Para Kore has also created a submission template that can be used as a guide or cut and pasted into your submission. It can be found here.

We’d also LOVE you to give a shout out to #MorePlacesLikeThis in your submission. Check the video below (scroll down a bit) and, if you agree with the message, chuck this sentence into the “Additional Information” box at the end of the consultation form: I support the message in this video that New Zealand’s new waste strategy and legislation must create new laws, policies and investment plans that lead to #MorePlacesLikeThis: https://vimeo.com/649269928

HAVE YOUR SAY –> When you are ready to make a submission, here’s the Waste Strategy and Legislation consultation portal

3. Working draft of full joint submission led by Zero Waste Network

If you’re the kind of person who likes to read more of the detail behind a submission template, you can check out the working draft of the full joint submission on the waste strategy and legislation consultation below. The drafting of this submission is being led by the Zero Waste Network. You can also leave comments on the document if you think an important point is missing, if you don’t agree with something, or if something doesn’t make sense:

WASTE STRATEGY & LEGISLATION: Find the full working draft here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/10yj8fiVIDmddBUfpmIJtxOiz9HGaeV61N7HfpYrBLCc/

• If you would like to add your organisation’s logo to the joint submission of the Waste Strategy and Legislation, send it through to dorte@zerowaste.co.nz by end of 8 December 2021

4. Initial reactions/commentary from the zero waste sector in the media – in print, on television, and on the radio

• WATCH: Sue Coutts of the Zero Waste Network discuss the waste strategy, legislation and ERP documents on TVNZ1 Breakfast show.
• LISTEN: To this short segment on Radio New Zealand featuring a number of experts talking about the waste strategy and legislation document.
• READ: Hannah’s write-up in The Conversation about how the two documents approach the circular economy.
• READ AND WATCH: Niamh Peren of Thumbs Up New Zealand discuss the waste strategy and legislation on One News.
• READ: Zero Waste Network press release “Draft waste strategy falls short”

5. Links to webinars

• Zero Waste Network
  • Q&A webinars on submitting on the waste strategy & legislation – TWO options:
    • Thursday, 2 December, 12-1pm Zoom Link
    • Thursday, 2 December, 7-8 pm Zoom link 
  • webinar on the Emissions Reduction Plan and the Waste Strategy and Legislation consultations RECORDING
• Para Kore panel discussion on Te Tiriti Led Transition for a zero waste, net zero carbon future, with reference to the Emissions Reduction Plan and the Waste Strategy and Legislation review. 24 November, 10am-11am. On FB live and also recorded.

6. Archived info on the emissions reduction plan consultation

Te hau mārohi ki anamata – Transitioning to a low-emissions and climate-resilient future. 

• This consultation is the Emissions Reduction Plan discussion document.
• This consultation is open until 24 November 2021.
• Read the full 130-page discussion document
• Check out the short 8-page snapshot version
• HAVE YOUR SAY –> When you are ready to make a submission, here’s the Emissions Reduction Plan discussion document consultation portal
  • Psst…! If you only have time to do a quick submission, there’s a short 3 question version of the consultation you can fill out instead

In May 2022, the Government will set our first three Emissions Budgets to help Aotearoa move towards achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050. At the same time, they will publish an Emissions Reduction Plan (ERP) that will explain all of the policies and actions needed to achieve the budgets. Not all the plan is relevant to waste, but two bits are: reducing emissions from organic waste decomposing in landfill, and moving towards a circular economy to help reduce waste and emissions.

The Government consultation is NOT the draft ERP, it’s a discussion document to give us all an update on where it’s at with its thinking, and give us an early-ish opportunity to have our say.

Emissions Reduction Plan

Submission guide for the short 3 question version of the consultation (covers the key points)

• HAVE YOUR SAY –> When you are ready to make a submission, you can do so at:
  • the full Emissions Reduction Plan discussion document consultation portal or
  • at the short 3 question version of the consultation

EMISSIONS REDUCTION PLAN:

Find the full working draft here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1WT3N7vaJo66AAd-1isPN64PzCon1cQj6VpU6RrvW06Q

• Ministry for the Environment webinar on the waste parts of the Emissions Reduction Plan RECORDING
• Ministry for the Environment webinar on the circular economy and bioeconomy parts of the Emissions Reduction Plan – REGISTRATION – 22 November