Shifting New Zealand from Single-Use Plastic

Plastic is one of our greatest environmental challenges. It regularly ends up as waste in our landfills, our moana and whenua. Difficult-to-recycle packaging and products can interfere with recycling systems and are often used only once before being disposed of. Shifting away from hardto-recycle and single-use plastics will help reduce plastic waste, improve New Zealand’s recycling systems, and protect our environment.

Since 1 October 2022, retailers can no longer sell or distribute targeted plastic items and they can no longer be manufactured. The following items are no longer able to be sold or manufactured:

• Plastic drink stirrers (all plastic types)

• Plastic stemmed cotton buds (all plastic types)

• Oxo- and photo- degradable plastic products (subset of plastic type 7)

• Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) pre-formed food trays and containers (plastic type 3)

• Polystyrene takeaway food and beverage packaging, e.g., some sushi trays and takeaway containers (plastic type 6)

• Expanded polystyrene food and beverage packaging, e.g., foamed cups, bowls, plates, and some grocery products (plastic type 6)

Descriptions of Banned items and Alternatives

Single-use Plastic Drink Stirrers

A single-use plastic drink stirrer is any beverage stirrer made wholly or partly of plastic, including compostable and biodegradable plastic, designed to be used once or a limited number of times before being thrown away.

ALTERNATIVES:

Instead of single-use plastic drink stirrers, you can manufacture or supply:

• Reusable spoons

• Wooden (fibre) drink stirrers ideally free from intentionally added per and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Reusable spoons (eg, metal) are a better alternative to single-use drink stirrers made from other materials (eg, wood) because they create less waste.

Polystyrene Takeaway Packaging for Food and Beverages

Polystyrene (plastic type 6) used to package ready-to-eat food and beverages including:

• trays

• takeaway containers

• clamshells and bowls

• or any other form of polystyrene packaging which is filled with food or beverage at a retailer but not manufactured there.

Ready-to-eat means food and beverages supplied for immediate consumption such as food and beverages purchased for takeaway from a restaurant, café or stall, or cups provided at an office water cooler. It also includes food and beverages prepared for immediate dine-in eating (eg, sushi prepared at a café or restaurant).

The ban applies to any type of polystyrene (eg, expanded polystyrene and rigid polystyrene).

• Expanded polystyrene includes expanded polystyrene and extruded polystyrene - both of which are white foams. It is often used for takeaway clamshells and bowls.

• Rigid polystyrene includes rigid polystyrene and high-impact polystyrene – both of which are brittle. Rigid polystyrene is clear and can be confused with PET or even glass while high-impact polystyrene is white.

ALTERNATIVES:

Instead of polystyrene packaging for readyto-eat food and beverages, you can supply or encourage reusable packaging. Businesses can encourage customers to bring their containers, or you can sign up for a reusable container/packaging service that provides the type of packaging you need. If reusable packaging is too challenging for your product/service, you can supply singleuse packaging made from:

• Recyclable plastic packaging such as PET

(type 1) and PP (type 5), or

• Fibre-based packaging that is ideally free from intentionally added PFAS.

Single-use alternatives are available in Aotearoa New Zealand and online. From 1st July 2023

Plastic produce bags, tableware, straws, and non-home compostable plastic produce labels will be banned or phased out from the 1st of July 2023.

By Mid-2025

All other PVC and polystyrene food and drink packaging will be banned or phased out by mid-2025.

For more information and ideas on alternatives, visit the Ministry for the Environment’s website. H

We have the packaging solutions to suit your menu

Huhtamaki has a wide range of solutions to cater to multiple applications. Made from rapidly renewable materials such as sugarcane and bamboo, our range is responsibly sourced and certified.

Sourced Responsibly. Disposed of Thoughtfully.

Our delicious newly developed muffins, brownie and blondie, are the perfect option for the Sweet Baked Items category, in the Ministry of Education’s Ka Ora, Ka Ako | Healthy School Lunches programme.

Our bakers keep ahead of nutrient criteria as set by the Ministry of Education, ensuring our products are suitable for children of New Zealand.

Contact us for samples of our delicious baked treats! Get