12 Jun 2025

Are we wasting an opportunity to capitalise on our waste?

From Nine To Noon, 9:32 am on 12 June 2025

The size of New Zealand's waste problem - and how much it's costing us - has been laid bare in a new report.

It shows we rank among the highest producers of waste and consumers of material in the OECD - some 28 tonnes of material per capita in 2022.

But we're among the lowest when it comes to what we do with it. 

The overall waste sector contributes $3.3 billion to the economy - but waste inefficiencies are costing us over $220 million a year in avoidable disposal costs.

The report was commissioned by industry body WasteMINZ and undertaken by the NZIER - New Zealand Institute for Economic Research.

Kathryn digs into it with WasteMINZ's CEO Nic Quilty and report author Roshen Kulwant.