Press Release

Queenstown Lake shoppers can now recycle their soft plastic packaging

17 March 2017

The Packaging Forum today launched the Love NZ soft plastic recycling programme at Countdown, FreshChoice, New World, PAK’nSAVE and The Warehouse stores in Queenstown, 4 Square in Arrowtown and New World, Wanaka. Queenstown Mayor Jim Boult joined representatives from industry, community groups and shoppers at Countdown Four Mile Centre to be amongst the first to drop off and recycle soft plastic packaging.

Lyn Mayes, Project Manager told guests:

“We are delighted to bring soft plastic recycling to Queenstown Lakes. The numbers tell their own story: 150 tonnes of soft plastic packaging has been dropped off by New Zealanders at 300 locations across Auckland, Waikato, Canterbury and Greater Wellington which is equivalent to around 38 million bread bags, frozen and chilled food bags, toilet roll packaging, pasta and rice bags, confectionery and biscuit wrappers, courier packs and single use shopping bags. Given the interest already from Queenstown Lakes District on our Facebook page, we anticipate a rapid uptake in this region. Specialist retailers Kathmandu, Lululemon and 1-Day have also joined the programme to recycle their bags back of store.”

“Until today this soft plastic packaging was all destined for the region’s landfills, but it can now be recycled and made into new durable plastic products thanks to funding from 40 of New Zealand’s best loved brands. Smart Environmental collects the materials at participating stores, bales and transports them to Canterbury where they will be combined with REDcycle shipments to the programme's manufacturing partner Replas in Melbourne. The packaging is recycled into bollards, traffic speed bumps, decking and tracking and furniture and we encourage industry and councils to buy these products to create demand for a New Zealand based facility.”

Stuart Urbahn Group Manager Countdown presented a Bench made from 15,000 plastic bags to Mayor Boult for Queenstown residents to enjoy.

“Countdown customers have been incredibly supportive of the ability to recycle their soft plastics through our stores, and I’m sure that Queenstown Lakes won’t be any different. The beauty of this scheme is that it’s so easy for customers to do – simply collect your plastic shopping bags, used bread bags or plastic wrapping at home, and drop it all off into store when you shop. It’s fantastic to see some new retailers come on board here in Queenstown and Wanaka, like FreshChoice and Four Square, so between us all there are lots of different places for customers to recycle.”

Mayes added that this is one of several industry schemes to increase recycling in the region:

“Our glass recycling scheme has introduced glass bottle banks at the Five Mile Centre to allow residents to drop off their glass containers which will be shipped to Auckland for remanufacture into new glass bottles. Through our Public Place Recycling Scheme, we have supported community recycling and litter facilities at Skyline Queenstown and the Ski fields.”

The $1.5 million programme has received $700,000 from the Government’s Waste Minimisation Fund. In addition to funding from The Packaging Forum and the participating retailers, the service is supported by Asaleo Care, Bluebird, Ceres, Coca Cola Amatil; Cottonsoft, Farro Fresh, Fonterra, Frucor, George Weston Foods; Griffins, Goodman Fielder, Heinz Watties; Hubbards, Huckleberry, Kelloggs, Kimberly-Clark, Mars, Mondelez, Moore Wilson’s, Mother Earth, Mrs Rogers, Nestle, NZ Post, Pams, Pure Delish, Simplot, Spicers, Sunrice, Wrigley, Amcor, Astron, Coveris, Snell Packaging and Replas.

For Information

The Packaging Forum promotes the Love NZ brand under license from the Ministry for Environment. http://www.recycling.kiwi.nz/soft-plastics

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