Sustainable End-of-Life Options for Plastics in New Zealand

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Contents Executive Summary ..........................................................................................................................2 Acknowledgements ..........................................................................................................................4 List of Figures ..................................................................................................................................7 List of Tables ....................................................................................................................................7 Introduction ......................................................................................................................................8 Purpose ..........................................................................................................................................9 Method ..........................................................................................................................................9 Results ........................................................................................................................................10 1 Plastic Material in NZ ..............................................................................................................10 1.1 Overview ........................................................................................................................10 1.2 Products Manufactured in NZ ........................................................................................11 1.3 Plastic Material Available for Recovery ............................................................................12 1.4 Key Points ......................................................................................................................13 2 Statistical Analysis of Plastic Material Types that are Currently Being Collected in New Zealand14 2.1 Total Amount of Plastic Material Recovered in New Zealand ..........................................14 2.2 Progress on Packaging Recycling Targets ......................................................................15 2.3 Breakdown of Recovered Plastic by Material Type ..........................................................16 2.4 Plastic Recovery Trends..................................................................................................16 2.5 Breakdown of Colours and Product Types ....................................................................18 2.5.1 PET ........................................................................................................................18 2.5.2 HDPE ....................................................................................................................19 2.5.3 Proportion of Beverage Bottles ..............................................................................19 2.5.4 PVC........................................................................................................................20 2.5.5 LDPE......................................................................................................................20 2.5.6 PP ..........................................................................................................................21 2.6 Key Points ......................................................................................................................21 3 Assessment of the Current NZ Infrastructure for Recovery and End Markets ..............................22 3.1 Introduction ....................................................................................................................22 3.2 Infrastructure for Recovery..............................................................................................22 3.2.1 Sources of Recovered Plastic Material ....................................................................22 3.2.2 Facilities for Material Recovery ..............................................................................24 3.2.3 Parties Involved in the Recovery of Plastic Material ................................................25 3.2.4 Funding of Council Material Collection Schemes ....................................................26 3.3 End Markets for Recovered Plastic ................................................................................26 3.3.1 Types of End Markets ............................................................................................26 3.3.2 International Export Markets ..................................................................................27 3.3.3 Forms of End-Market Material ................................................................................28 3.3.4 Prices for End-Market Material................................................................................28 3.4 Key Points ......................................................................................................................28 4 Alternative End-of-Life Options ..............................................................................................29 4.1 Introduction ....................................................................................................................29 4.2 Composting Degradable Plastics ....................................................................................29 4.2.1 Types of Degradable Plastics ..................................................................................29 4.2.2 Sources of Raw Materials for Degradable Plastics ..................................................29 4.2.3 Pros........................................................................................................................29 4.2.4 Cons ......................................................................................................................30 5 Sustainable End-of-Life Options for Plastics in New Zealand
4.2.5 Measure of Degradability ........................................................................................30 4.2.6 Developments in NZ ..............................................................................................30 4.2.7 International Developments in Degradable Plastics ................................................31 4.2.8 Viability of Composting Plastics ..............................................................................32 4.3 Energy Recovery ............................................................................................................32 4.3.1 Developments in NZ ..............................................................................................32 4.3.2 Pros........................................................................................................................32 4.3.3 Cons ......................................................................................................................33 4.3.4 Recovery Practices in Europe ................................................................................33 4.3.5 Viability of Energy Recovery in NZ ..........................................................................34 4.4 Storage ..........................................................................................................................34 4.5 Key Points ......................................................................................................................35 5 Factors Influencing Recovery ..................................................................................................36 5.1 The Drivers ....................................................................................................................36 5.2 Lack of information ........................................................................................................36 5.3 Contamination ................................................................................................................36 5.3.1 Contamination at Source ........................................................................................36 5.3.2 Contamination from Products ................................................................................36 5.4 Lack of Standardisation and Labelling ............................................................................37 5.5 Facilities to Recover Material ..........................................................................................37 5.6 End Markets ..................................................................................................................38 5.7 Communication and Education ......................................................................................38 5.8 Future Influences on Recovery........................................................................................39 5.8.1More-efficent Resource Use ....................................................................................39 5.8.2 Increasing Use of Degradable Materials ..................................................................39 5.8.3 Evaluating Recycling Technologies..........................................................................39 5.8.4 Legislation ..............................................................................................................39 5.9 Key Points ......................................................................................................................40 Conclusion ....................................................................................................................................41 Recommendations..........................................................................................................................42 R.1 Improve Information ......................................................................................................42 R.2 Work with Plastics Industry ............................................................................................42 R.3 Plastics NZ to Work On..................................................................................................42 R.4 Work with Other Parties to ............................................................................................43 R.5 Expand End Markets for Plastics....................................................................................43 Appendices ....................................................................................................................................44 Appendix 1: Supplementary Data Table ....................................................................................44 Appendix 2: Glossary ................................................................................................................44 Appendix 2.1 End of Life ......................................................................................................44 Appendix 2.2 Waste ............................................................................................................44 Appendix 2.3 Product Stewardship ......................................................................................44 Appendix 2.4 Recyclable and Recoverable ..........................................................................44 Appendix 2.5 Free Riders ....................................................................................................44 Appendix 2.6 Material Types ................................................................................................45 Appendix 2.7 Sources of End-of-Life Plastics ......................................................................45 Appendix 2.8 Forms of Plastic End-market Product..............................................................46 Appendix 2.9 Imports and Exports ......................................................................................46 Appendix 3: Website Links and Contact Details ........................................................................46 Appendix 3.1 Website Links ................................................................................................46 Contents 6
Page 1 and 2: Research Project Report Sustainable
Page 3 and 4: Executive Summary The purpose of th
Page 5: Acknowledgements Special thanks are
Page 9 and 10: Introduction In 2003 the New Zealan
Page 11 and 12: Results 1. Plastic Material in NZ 1
Page 13 and 14: From the 2005 PNZ Mass Balance Surv
Page 15 and 16: 2. Statistical Analysis of Plastic
Page 17 and 18: 2.3 Breakdown of Recovered Plastic
Page 19 and 20: 2.5 Breakdown of Colours and Produc
Page 21 and 22: 2.5.4 PVC Approximately 2,412t of P
Page 23 and 24: 3. Assessment of the Current NZ Inf
Page 25 and 26: Figure 16: Implementation of kerbsi
Page 27 and 28: Figure 18: Other material recovered
Page 29 and 30: 3.3.3 Forms of End-Market Material
Page 31 and 32: 4.2.4 Cons • The cost of deriving
Page 33 and 34: 4.2.8 Viability of Composting Plast
Page 35 and 36: Strict regulations have been set in
Page 37 and 38: 5. Factors Influencing Recovery 5.1
Page 39 and 40: Commercial recyclers operating unde
Page 41 and 42: 5.9 Key Points Voluntary industry a
Page 43 and 44: Recommendations R.1 Improve Informa
Page 45 and 46: Appendices Appendix 1: Supplementar
Page 47 and 48: Appendix 2.8 Forms of Plastic End-M

Sustainable End-of-Life Options for Plastics in New Zealand

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