More companies pledge to tackle plastic waste

11:04 am on 5 June 2018

Twelve local and international companies have made the commitment to change their packaging as part of World Environment Day.

Photo: RNZ / Richard Tindiller

New Zealand-based businesses that signed the NZ Plastic Packaging Declaration are Foodstuffs, Countdown, New Zealand Post and Frucor Suntory.

The companies have comitted to using 100 percent reusable, recyclable or compostable packaging in their operations by 2025 or earlier.

Countdown also announced it will phase out plastic straws this year.

"We know we have a lot more to do, but today as part of delivering on our commitment to do better, we are also announcing our intention to stop selling single-use plastic straws in all our stores and online from 1 October this year," Kiri Hannifin, Countdown's general manager of corporate affairs said.

"It's estimated about 500 million straws are used in the USA each day.

"While we don't have figures for their use here, what we do know is that plastic straws are almost impossible to recycle because they of their size and lightness.

"They also hold no value post use so are not attractive to those companies who are purchasing and re-using used plastic," she said.

"Seeing images of turtles with straws coming out of their nostrils is confronting and although straws account for a small part of marine pollution, they cause significant harm and are mostly unnecessary for beverage consumption."

Associate Environment Minister Eugenie Sage said the commitment is a significant step towards helping end plastic pollution.

"These companies have drawn a line in the sand, pledging to do their bit to stem the tide of plastic waste and plastic pollution," Ms Sage said.

"Signing the declaration is a significant and important step towards reducing the amount of plastic that we produce and helping end plastic pollution. I hope more businesses, regardless of size, join the declaration and start working to reduce their waste."

WasteMINZ chief executive Paul Evans said having the big corporations onboard was a good start but it couldn't be the only action taken.

"Certainly through this commitment you've got the major producers in the room, so that's fantastic that they're on board, but as I say, we need to move on from this - it can't be the only thing that we do," he said.

It's estimated Coca-Cola produces 110-billion single use plastic bottles each year.

Coca-Cola sustainability manager South Pacific Sarah Prestwood said the seven-year timeframe in shifting to recyclable packaging was due to it being a complex task.

"You need to set yourself achievable timelines but you also need to make sure there is meaningful progress."

Ms Sage also announced $2.7 million in funding for local charity Sustainable Coastlines to develop an education programme and a national litter database.

She said scientists estimate there are more than 150 million tonnes of plastic in the ocean and if nothing changes, there will be more plastic than fish by 2050.

"Sustainable Coastlines is already playing a critical role in mobilising New Zealanders to look after our beaches and rivers. Now they can do important work to test the effectiveness of different litter interventions, including educational approaches so we can work out how to best change litter behaviour."