19 May 2005

Hon Marian Hobbs Minister for the Environment

Boost for sustainable business practice

New spending of $12.4 million over the next four years is committed in today's budget to promote sustainable business practices, Environment Minister Marian Hobbs announced today.

"The funding reinforces the success of the Environment Ministry's work with industry and organisations, underpinned by the government's emphasis on quality economic growth through sustainable development, and will enable new programmes to be initiated and existing programmes to grow."

New work areas include: voluntary tracking and take-back programmes for electronic and hazardous wastes; developing ways to ensure environmental issues are addressed during oil and gas exploration within the exclusive economic zone; projects to encourage innovative product design that minimise environmental impact; possible partnerships with the banking, finance and insurance sectors to reward sustainable business practice through eased access to credit, capital or insurance; building capacity and delivering environmental programmes through partnering with non-government organisations focussed on waste; working with other agencies to promote litter reduction.

Among the programmes that will continue to expand are: the New Zealand Packaging Accord to reduce packaging waste and increase the amount of packaging recycled; the Dairying and Clean Streams Accord to improve the health of waterways in dairying areas; the national collection of agrichemicals in particular those containing dangerous persistent organic pollutants; the Govt3 programme to make the government sector more sustainable in how it operates; the Tyre Track and Used Oil Recovery schemes; the eco-efficiency in tourism project; developing a legislative framework to support industry to put in place product stewardship schemes.

ENDS