Here in little old NZ, we’re often seen as a green and environmentally conscious nation, but when it comes to recycling, the reality isn’t quite as clean and green as we might hope. The question on everyone’s lips—how much recycling actually gets recycled in NZ—is one that has some eye-opening answers. Let’s take a look at New Zealand’s recycling track record, what’s being done to fix it, and how you can do your bit for the environment.
New Zealand’s Not-So-Great Recycling Track Record
For a country that prides itself on environmental awareness, we’ve definitely got some recycling skeletons in our closet. A Consumer NZ-led assessment in 2021 found that Kiwis were far from the top of the environmental leaderboard. New Zealand was one of nine countries examined, and the results were not flattering.
In this assessment, New Zealand joined Australia, Brazil, France, Hong Kong, India, Malaysia, Portugal, and the United Kingdom to take a closer look at the recyclability of product packaging. The results were pretty bad—we were the second worst country with around 57% of our packaging found to be non-recyclable. Given that Kiwis go through roughly 735,000 tonnes of packaging every year, this non-recycling figure is a pretty massive issue.
So, what’s going wrong? Is the infrastructure lacking, or are we just not educated enough on how much recycling actually gets recycled in NZ? Unfortunately, the answer is a little bit of both.
The Problems With Recycling in NZ
One of the biggest challenges New Zealand faces is the type of packaging we use. The Packaging Council of New Zealand says that many materials used in common packaging are tricky to recycle. Mixed-material packaging (like plastic bottles with shrink-wrapped sleeves or multi-layered products) often ends up in the landfill because our recycling facilities simply can’t handle them.
A Fair Go investigation last year revealed a shocking truth: the vast majority of public recycling bins—those handy ones you find in parks and on streets—are often just symbolic, with many councils admitting that up to 100% of the waste in these public bins goes straight to landfill!
But it’s not just a public issue. In our own homes, we’re not much better. Research shows that the average Kiwi household uses around 941 plastic containers per year, and while 41% of these could be recycled, they often end up in landfills instead.
A major reason for this is confusion about what plastics are recyclable. Many plastics come with a confusing code system inside a three-arrow recycling symbol, but not all those plastics are actually recyclable—so you can’t blame Kiwis too much for getting it wrong! This has led to an ongoing misunderstanding about which plastics should go in the recycling bin and which ones should be binned.
Not All Plastics Are Created Equal
Plastic packaging comes in different forms, some of which are more recyclable than others. Plastics 1 and 2, which make up most plastic bottles, are widely accepted for recycling across the country—however, these plastics can only be recycled a handful of times before they lose quality and end up as waste anyway. Shrink-wrapped sleeves, coloured bottles, and bottle lids all contribute to making an already challenging situation worse.
Take the iconic amber L&P bottle, for example. This nostalgic favourite, due to its colour, is far less recyclable than clear plastic bottles. When coloured plastic is recycled, it turns into grey plastic, which has a lower value and can only be used for certain low-quality products.
On top of this, lids on bottles also cause problems. If left on, they can lower the overall quality of the recycling, as they are often made from different plastics. Loose lids, on the other hand, are so small that they often slip through sorting systems and end up in landfill anyway.
What’s Being Done to Fix It?
Thankfully, it’s not all bad news. There have been moves to improve the state of recycling in New Zealand. Local councils are increasingly aware of the need to educate the public on proper recycling practices and are rolling out initiatives to tackle some of the bigger issues.
The Ministry for the Environment has been working on improving recycling infrastructure and expanding the types of plastics that can be processed. Some councils are also starting to phase out problematic public recycling bins and are focusing more on what can realistically be recycled.
But the changes don’t end there. As consumers, we’ve got a pretty important role to play in improving how much recycling actually gets recycled in NZ. By making conscious decisions about the products we buy and how we dispose of them, we can have a real impact on New Zealand’s recycling success.
How You Can Help Improve Recycling at Home
So, how can you make sure you’re not contributing to New Zealand’s recycling woes? Here are some simple steps to ensure you’re doing your bit:
Avoid Products With Mixed Material Packaging
Whenever possible, steer clear of packaging that uses multiple materials (e.g., plastic with a paper label or foil-backed plastic). These are much harder to recycle and are more likely to end up in landfill. Choose simple, single-material packaging instead.
Choose Clear, Sleeveless Packaging
Clear plastic packaging (especially plastic 1 and 2) is easier to recycle and holds more value. Avoid products with shrink-wrapped sleeves or coloured bottles.
Vote With Your Wallet
If you’re serious about making a change, let manufacturers know! Avoid brands that use unrecyclable materials and instead support companies committed to sustainability. You can even send a cheeky email or leave a review to nudge them toward greener practices.
Check Local Council Recycling Rules
Every council has slightly different recycling rules. Make sure you know what your local area can and can’t process. For example, the Chatham Islands only accept certain types of plastics, so always check before you bin.
Make Sure Lids Are Off
There are a few things we don’t often even know we’re recycling wrong, but this one is easy—unless your council tells you otherwise, remove plastic lids from bottles before recycling. It’s a small change, but it can make a huge difference.
The Road Ahead for Recycling in NZ
As consumers and businesses become more aware of the challenges of recycling, there’s hope that things will improve. But it’s going to take all of us pitching in and making smarter choices with our waste.
At Pink Bins, for example, we’ve got a pretty cool initiative called Think Pink, where we make sure that as much of your rubbish as possible is recycled. When you hire a skip bin from us, most of your rubbish is brought back to the plant and tipped on the floor. We then sort through it and take out all recyclables and transport them to dedicated recycling centres where they can be properly recycled.
So, next time you’re staring at a confusing bit of plastic packaging, remember: it’s up to all of us to boost how much recycling actually gets recycled in NZ and ensure that the waste we create is part of a more sustainable future.