Container Deposit Scheme

March 2024 was a bad time for Waitemata Waste Away when the old-school refund scheme for bottles, cans and containers was put on the government “bonfire”. Apparently the government didn’t have time to vote on this bill as there were too many others with priority before the election.

Designed to slash the amount of waste going into landfills and boost recyling, the initiative would have given small refunds (of 10-20 cents) to people who returned used containers.

Figures from the Ministry for the Environment show New Zealanders use more than 2.57 billion beverages in 2020/21, sold in single-use containers made from plastic, aluminium, glass and liquid paperboard. Just 45 per cent were recovered for recycling.

We were extremely disappointed by this. Three years of work, countless voluntary hours had been put into the Container Deposit Scheme proposal. A container return scheme is key to reducing plastic pollution, changing how we think about and deal with waste in Aotearoa and ensuring that producers, retailers and consumers take more responsibility for waste, instead of loading the costs on to Auckland Council and the waste collection services

At the time and still in 2025there is strong public and stakeholder support for a CRS scheme: 91% of submissions …supported a CRS

Some of us will remember similar schemes operation in the 1970s and 80s when children returned soft drink bottles to the dairy earning coins for sweets

We start again with the current government.

We have sent this letteer to the Minister along with others in the Zero Waste Network.

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24th February 2025

Penny Simmonds Minister for the Environment

Dear Minister Simmonds, Re: Collective Call for a Container Return Scheme (CRS) for New Zealand

We are a coalition of organisations from across New Zealand, including the beverage industry, waste and recycling sector, NGOs, community organisations, local councils, and trade groups.

This letter is to convey our support for the implementation of a Container Return Scheme (CRS) and encourage the Government to prioritise its adoption.

A CRS offers a transformative opportunity for modernising New Zealand’s recycling system whilst also providing significant environmental, economic, and social benefits.

Container Return Schemes are proven to increase recycling rates, create new jobs, and provide fundraising mechanisms for community groups, and the charity sector.

It also aligns with your government’s objectives for waste, and its net-zero by 2050 climate goals. We remain committed to working collaboratively with government to stand up a successful and fit-for-purpose CRS and we offer our expertise and support as the scheme progresses.

We are a broad and diverse group of organisations that believe a CRS provides a significant opportunity for the Government to show its commitment to positive environmental outcomes for New Zealand without incurring additional government spending.

We urge you to act on this opportunity.

Yours sincerely

Waitemata Waste Away