Information for businesses on the October 2022 plastic bans
These bans are likely affect a range of local business and the packaging you use for takeaway and pre-prepared food.
Full information on products to be phased out and alternatives for each banned product is included on the Ministry for the Environment webpage.
For support in switching your packaging, get in touch with our Commercial Waste team on commercialwaste@npdc.govt.nz or phone 06 759 6060.
Alternative food containers and packaging
Instead of PVC, polystyrene or expanded polystyrene pre-formed trays, containers, boxes or clamshells, you can use or supply the following products:
- Reusable containers and bowls, such as AgainAgain and Reusabowl.
- Recyclable plastic trays or containers made from PET (type 1 plastic) and PP (type 5 plastic), which can be recycled (if clean).
- Compostable fibre-based trays or containers made from paperboard, sugarcane, bamboo, wood, wheat straw etc, which can be composted in commercial or home compost systems. When selecting fibre products:
- Choose unlined, uncoated containers where possible. These can be composted at home or in commercial composting facilities.
- Avoid containers with a plastic lining (usually polyethylene or “poly”), as these containers need to be disposed of in landfill.
- If a food barrier is needed, choose a container with a compostable plant-based plastic lining made from PLA (polylactic acid). These can be composted in commercial composting facilities.
- Avoid paperboard products with intentionally added PFAS, which are harmful to health.
- Compostable plant-based plastic containers, made from PLA (polylactic acid), which can also be called ‘Ingeo’ plant-based plastic. These can be composted in commercial composting facilities.
There are many suppliers of recyclable and compostable containers. These include:
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:
“The Ministry encourages voluntary compliance and expects that all businesses will be taking necessary steps toward ensuring they comply with the regulations.
We will use discretion when responding to any breaches of the regulations. We can respond to non-compliance in various ways ranging from education, providing verbal and written warnings through to prosecution.
In the first instance our preference is to take an educational approach and to offer advice to help businesses understand their responsibilities. The way we work is guided by our Compliance, monitoring and enforcement strategy.
The Ministry will take enforcement action where appropriate, particularly where systemic or ongoing non-compliance occurs. The Waste Minimisation Act allows for fines of up to $100,000 to be issued when parties deliberately contravene regulations under the Act. Any fines will be proportionate to the offence and all prosecution decisions are made subject to our Prosecutions policy and Enforcement decision making policy.”
For support in switching your packaging, get in touch with NPDC on commercialwaste@npdc.govt.nz, or phone 06 759 6060.
