Waste minimisation at work

Plastic product bans

From 1 July 2023 the Government is phasing out more single-use plastics.

The Government is also restricting the use of plastic straws and phasing out non-compostable produce labels. After 1 July 2023 the manufacture, sale or distribution of single-use plastic produce bags, and plastic plates, bowls and cutlery will be banned.

These phase-outs are part of the Ministry for the Environment’s Waste Minimisation (Plastic and Related Products) Regulations 2022.

Plastics being banned in July 2023

  1. Single-use plastic tableware.

  2. Plastic produce bags.

  3. Plastic drinking straws.*

  4. Plastic produce labels.

See image for alternatives and *exemptions.

 

Information for businesses on the July 2023 plastic bans

These bans are likely to affect a range of local business, including supermarkets and food and drink sellers.

Full information on products to be phased out and alternatives for each banned product is included on the Ministry for the Environment webpage or check out their factsheet here. 

For support in switching your packaging, get in touch with our Commercial Waste team on commercialwaste@npdc.govt.nz or phone 06 759 6060.

Alternatives

Alternatives to single-use plastic drinking straws are widely available. They include:
  • Reusable straws (e.g. metal and silicon).
  • Paper straws.
  • Going without a straw altogether.
Alternatives to single-use plastic tableware and cutlery are widely available and include:
  • Reusable tableware or cutlery (e.g. ceramic, stainless steel, melamine plastic).
  • Paper or bamboo tableware or cutlery - ideally without intentionally added perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS — see key terms for more information). Please also note that PLAs are not home compostable or commercially compostable in New Plymouth.
While single-use plastic produce bags will no longer be permitted, the following alternatives may be used:
  • Fibre-based (paper) produce bags. The Ministry recommends that all fibre-based products are free from PFAs.
  • Reusable produce bags that are not single-use. (Single-use for an item means the item is designed or intended to be used only once or a limited number of times before being disposed of, discarded or diverted.)

You can also go without a bag altogether when picking out produce to purchase.


There are many suppliers of recyclable and compostable containers. These include:
Local suppliers: National suppliers:

Bidfood Limited
8 Gregory Place, Waiwhakaiho, New Plymouth
06 751 2260

Hardy Packaging
73 Molesworth Street, New Plymouth
06 758 9036

Pack Centre
187 Courtenay Street, New Plymouth
06 769 5615

Again Again

Biopak 

Decent Packaging

Earthpac

Ecoware

FriendlyPak

Gilmours

Green Choice

Huhtamaki

Reusabowl

Southern Hospitality

If you are a supplier and would like to be added to this list, please contact commercialwaste@npdc.govt.nz.


What happens if my business doesn’t comply with this product ban?

The Ministry for the Environment website contains the following information regarding compliance:

All businesses are legally obligated to comply with the regulations. The Ministry for the Environment will first work with businesses to ensure they understand their obligations, however penalties apply for non-compliance.

We will generally take an educational approach and offer advice to help businesses understand their responsibilities. The way we work is guided by our Compliance, monitoring and enforcement strategy.

We will take enforcement action where appropriate, particularly where systemic or ongoing non-compliance occurs. Parties that contravene the Waste Minimisation Act 2008 may face prosecution and, if convicted, fines of up to $100,000 per offence. All prosecution decisions are made subject to our Prosecutions policy and Enforcement decision making policy.

Suspected non-compliance can be reported via this online form from 1 July 2023.

Ministry for the Environment

Future planned plastic bans

Businesses should be aware that further bans are planned for some plastic products in 2025.


Products that will be phased out by mid-2025 include:

  1. All other PVC food and beverage packaging - such as some biscuit trays and containers.
  2. All other polystyrene food and beverage packaging - such as yoghurt and other dairy pottles and containers.

 

More information

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