Thursday 14th May

Stop Absurd Packaging theatre at Parliament today

Embargoed until Thursday 14th May

GetReal campaign #2 arrives at Parliament today, with a final performance by the Wild OATS (the Orchestral anti-Absurd Packaging Travelling Show) in Parliament grounds at noon.

Dr Nick Smith will meet the Wild OATS and accept an open letter signed by GetReal supporters.

More than 1000 signatures have been collected by the Wild OATS on their South Island and Wellington tour over the last ten days.

They have collected the signatures on 10 rolls of re-use shop wallpaper, set up on their converted wheelie bin office which travels with them.

The Wild OATS performance is a mixture of rap, dance music, poetry and skits, written to highlight absurd packaging.

"We're really excited to meet the Environment Minister and to do our show for him," said Ivy Wilmott, Wild OATS stage manager and actor.

"It's great that he agreed to accept our letter in person, and it shows that he respects the views of all the people who have supported this campaign to improve packaging.

"I work at a recycling centre, and it really upsets me that so much packaging is unnecessary and non-recyclable. I hope that the Minister can help sort out the packaging mess by adding packaging back onto the list of Priority Products."

Stop Absurd Packaging is Get Real's second campaign, following the success of campaign #1: No More Free Plastic Bags.

The campaign is supported by 46 environmental organisations, including the Zero Waste New Zealand Trust, members of the Community Recycling Network, Sustainable Otautahi, Sustainable Dunedin City and Students for Environmental action.

The campaign aims to get the Government to introduce a robust product stewardship scheme for packaging.

"We're zeroing in on packaging because it's a perfect example of a waste problem that would be solved by effective product stewardship." said GetReal Campaigner Sue Coutts

"Everyone involved in the life of a product shares the responsibility for making sure it's recovered once it has served it's purpose. It is not about pushing all the costs onto one player."

"The systems we have now don't encourage the different parts of the chain to work towards the best outcome for people and the planet. The buck gets passed along to the ratepayers who don't have much influence over the design of packaging coming down the line"

"The best way to sort out the packaging mess would be to establish a robust product stewardship scheme for packaging. And the best way to do that is to put packaging back on the Priority Products List under the Waste Minimisation Act (2008)."

Only three products are on the Priority Products List proposed by the Government: used oil, refrigerant gases and agricultural chemicals. Submissions on the way the Government is planning to implement the Waste Minimisation Act (2008) close on Friday 15th May.

"The option of voluntary product stewardship has always been there, if it had worked there wouldn't have been universal support for the Waste Minimisation Act when it was passed in 2008." said Ms Coutts "another round of debate about whether we need to back it up with teeth is just a delaying tactic. The best companies are already well ahead in putting effective stewardship schemes in place and we need government to step up and support them".

"There is packaging out there that's well-designed, minimal and resource efficient. We want to see all packaging meeting those same high standards."

Ms Coutts said the real issue to resolve is who pays and how. At the moment ratepayers foot the bill for rubbish and recycling but they have very little say in the design and production process that turns packaging into rubbish in the first place.

ENDS

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