Minister welcomes new paint recycling scheme

Minister welcomes new paint recycling scheme

Minister congratulates Resene Paints for showing the way on paint recycling and becoming the first manufacturer to offer nationwide recycling of paint.

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Environment Minister David Benson-Pope today congratulated Resene Paints for showing the way on paint recycling and becoming the first manufacturer to offer nationwide recycling of paint.

The Minister was speaking at Resene's Naenae plant in Lower Hutt at the launch of Paintwise, a product stewardship scheme that recycles unwanted paint and its packaging.

"I congratulate Resene Paints and 3R Group, the programme managers, for their commitment and vision to put the scheme in place," said Mr Benson-Pope.

"Businesses like Resene go a long way towards maintaining, and growing our clean and green image.

"Innovative companies in New Zealand have listened to their customers and anticipated their needs. They are providing them with the option of buying sustainably produced goods and the facilities to recycle those goods."

The Paintwise scheme has also been drawing attention from overseas companies and governments, both for the successful collection method and for the innovative uses Paintwise is developing for the recycled paint.

"This is a great development for New Zealand. It means that our environmental initiatives are improving the sustainability not just of our country but potentially the rest of the world and contributing to the knowledge base that will help develop New Zealand as a world leader.

"This government plans to encourage more such schemes which share the responsibility for the disposal of a product throughout its life cycle - from the designers to the end users," Mr Benson-Pope said.

The government is supporting a more comprehensive product stewardship regime as part of the Waste Minimisation (Solids) Bill, currently before the Local Government and Environment Select Committee. It will include regulations to support product stewardship schemes and ensure that those producers who take a leadership role in this area are not undermined by those who won't.

"I urge all businesses to think about what part their company wishes to play in making New Zealand truly sustainable. This Labour-led government looks forward to working with those who support this vision," said Mr Benson-Pope.

ENDS