The Government is introducing mandatory product stewardship schemes requiring manufactures to take responsibility for some end-of-life products, such as tyres, before they go to waste.
Associate environment minister Eugenie Sage says it’s part of a wider plan to reduce the amount of rubbish ending up in landfills.
The regulated product stewardship schemes are part of the Waste Minimisation Act and include the following six ‘priority products’:
- Plastic packaging
- Tyres
- Electrical and electronic products (e-waste)
- Agrichemicals and their containers
- Refrigerants
- Farm plastics.
“Regulated product stewardship helps put the responsibility for waste and what happens to products at the end of their useful life on manufacturers, importers, retailers and users, rather than on communities, councils, neighbourhoods and nature,” Sage says.
“Old products that have reached the end of their life can be used to make something new, especially if they are designed better for reuse and recycling.
“Currently New Zealand has 15 voluntary accredited product stewardship schemes. These have had limited success in minimising waste for the target products.
“Government’s decision to require the establishment of regulated product stewardship schemes follows a public consultation in 2019 with public support for Government taking stronger action on these products.
“New Zealanders’ expectations about waste have changed. We need new approaches such as regulated product stewardship which will help reduce the environmental impacts of waste by ensuring that products and materials currently lost to landfill or pollution are recovered, reprocessed or re-used. This encourages new businesses and jobs,” Sage says.
The Ministry for the Environment will now be working with manufacturers and retailers of priority products and with stakeholders to co-design product stewardship schemes and regulations.
Industry supports ‘long-awaited’ regulation
Bridgestone is welcoming the announcement of regulation to end-of-life tyre processing and says it fully supports the classification of tyres as a priority product under the Waste Minimisation Act.
The company has been a long-term supporter and active participant of the industry-led Tyrewise projectaimed at sustainable end-of-life tyre management.
Bridgestone New Zealand director John Staples says the announcement is a long-awaited opportunity to maximise the economic and environmental benefits of how end-of-life tyres are recovered and processed.
“Bridgestone is committed to sound environmental management and product stewardship, and responsible ELT management and the ongoing development of a sustainable circular economy for tyres is a global priority for Bridgestone,” Staples says.
“We have been involved with the ongoing contribution and search for a solution to used tyres for many years now, not just in New Zealand, but in Australia too. We are thrilled with the recent announcement of the New Zealand Government.”
Tyrewise Working Group and project manager, 3R Group, say mandatory regulation is the culmination of many long years of work.
“This is what we have been working towards for the past eight years,” 3R Group chief executive Adele Rose says.
“Now, with Minister Sage having made the announcement, Tyrewise can forge ahead with the industry-led scheme that has been designed.”
The proposed regulatory scheme has an advanced disposal fee built into the cost of tyres which will be used to fund the scheme.
“It is critical that people understand this is not an additional fee for consumers but replaces the existing disposal fees charged by most tyre retailers without any surety of good environmental management at end of life. The proposed Tyrewise scheme will ensure the positive outcomes we all want,” Adele says.
The fee will be used to incentivise end markets, processing and collection of tyres, putting an end to stockpiles, illegal dumping or landfilling tyres, and the associated risks to people and the environment, along with an auditing and compliance programme to evidence compliance, she says.
The industry has long been in favour of a regulated product stewardship scheme for tyres, according to Imported Motor Vehicle Industry Association chief executive, and Tyrewise working group member, David Vinsen.
“We’re disappointed it has taken so many years to be announced so we are fully in support of it and welcome the announcement by the Minister,” Vinsen says.
Staples says Bridgestone New Zealand “fully echoes the sentiment of Tyrewise, and we look forward to continuing to work with them, our fellow industry members and relevant businesses to implement this positive solution for the environment and the industry”.
The total volume of tyres (car, truck, aircraft etc.) which come to the end of their useful life in New Zealand each year is currently equivalent to over 7.75 million passenger tyres or 73,700 tonnes worth.
