Our waste levy research report has generated a lot of interest. Here are some links to media articles:
http://wellington.govt.nz/your-council/news/2017/07/waste-levy
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1707/S00018/waste-disposal-levy-could-create-9000-jobs.htm
https://m.newsie.co.nz/news/42399-higher-levy-would-cut-waste-and-create-work.html
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/wanganui-chronicle/midweek/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503658&objectid=11885818
Eunomia worked with Auckland Council to produce this zero waste events guide. The guide is designed for the non-waste specialist, in particular event managers. It will help you reduce the amount of waste your events produce and work towards zero waste. It also signposts to useful detail in appendices and special case studies (available from Auckland Council), so you can drill down where you need more information.
Click the button to download a copy of the main guide.
DownloadThe key information is also available online through the zero waste events website. Click the link below:
Go to LinkEunomia Research & Consulting undertook research to improve understanding of the impacts of possible changes to the structure and rate of the Waste Disposal Levy.
The study, which was commissioned by a consortium of businesses and councils, showed that there are likely to be real benefits for NZ through putting in place a well-structured levy regime. The research found there would be significant benefits in terms of waste minimisation, employment, and the economy. Key features should include:
Download the summary report
Download the full report
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Rubbish collections are considered by many to be core council business. But the market has been changing. Rethinking old ways can deliver better economic, environmental and community outcomes.
Read Duncan Wilson’s article in Local Government magazine about council versus private rubbish collections.
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This report, from Eunomia UK, highlights the potential for a measures-based approach to be more effective at tackling marine plastic litter than setting targets.
Marine plastics are an emerging issue facing policy makers. However, the information we currently have on the impacts of marine plastics is limited. This makes it challenging to identify what a ‘socially optimal’ level of marine plastic pollution would be. The lack of information seems to be encouraging a wide spectrum of policy responses, which range from a complete ban on many kinds of plastic at one extreme, to “do nothing until we’ve improved our data” at the other.
This document reflects upon the data challenge and explains why detailed monitoring of marine litter is difficult, expensive and ultimately, perhaps, unnecessary. It argues that setting reduction targets for marine plastics is unlikely to be effective policy. Instead, it proposes a “Best Available Technique” approach to the selection of measures, similar to the way in which industrial emissions are addressed.
This report is available free of charge. Press the button below to download.
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In this report, prepared jointly with Resource Media, we analyse recycling data from around the world to understand which countries really lead the municipal waste recycling league table.
Some eye-catching headline recycling rates are reported in the media, but the basis on which rates are calculated can vary considerably. In some cases, a great deal of commercial or construction waste is counted, while approaches to accounting for rejects and for intermediate processes like MBT vary considerably. Even within the UK, the four nations now report their recycling on different bases, with Defra producing an annual set of figures that allow the results to be compared on an equal footing.
Both the OECD and the European Commission produce annual municipal waste and recycling statistics, which eliminate some (but far from all) of the inconsistencies. However, there are a few high recyclers that are members of neither organisation – Singapore and Taiwan, for example, report recycling rates above 55%. Bringing these data together allow us to present a world league table of reported recycling rates, which shows Germany as the world leader on 66%.
This is only the start of the story, though, as these figures don’t really compare like with like. Taking account of the different ways of counting, Germany remains in top spot, but is less than two percentage points ahead of Taiwan, which rises to second place, while Wales is in third.
The report also shows the rapid progress that Wales is making, and that the coutry is rapidly closing in on Germany’s established place at the top of the chart.
This report is available free of charge. Press the silver button and supply a few details about yourself in order to access the download.
DownloadThe rise in popularity of private wheeled bin rubbish collections means an increasing number of councils in NZ are finding themselves with some tough decisions to make about how they provide services. Duncan Wilson provides insight and perspective in this article for LG Magazine.
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What is so Horrible Anyway..? 15 years of observations − Waste Not have been going through bins and bags of rubbish for a looonnng time now − A few things become obvious after a while − Let’s have a look…
View this presentation on ‘The Horror of 240 Litre Wheeled Bins’ from the WasteMINZ Conference 2014. In this presentation Duncan Wilson presents a range of data that demonstrates how large wheeled bins for rubbish drive wasteful behaviour. Simply put, big bins encourage people to throw out more stuff. Most of the extra stuff people put in the bins is garden waste. But there is also more recyclable material, and other things like tree stumps and TVs that should be recovered or properly disposed of. The data is compelling. It is more relevant than ever as private wheeled bins services become more popular. Such services can undermine efforts to recover and recycle.
Click the button below to download a copy of the presentation.
Common actions identified in the WMMPs included increasing kerbside recycling, organic waste collections (10/16 councils), RTS management and pricing, improving data collection, actioning solid waste bylaws, improving infrastructure, collaboration – including lobbying of central government (for example on product stewardship), communications and education, and facilitating reuse. Common themes in the WMMPs include:
These guidelines provide good practice guidance to territorial authorities (TAs) on how to use Waste Disposal Levy money received under section 31 of the Waste Minimisation Act 2008 (WMA).
These guidelines will help TAs:
• identify projects and set spending priorities that are in line with the intent of the WMA
• develop new ideas for using levy money to achieve waste minimisation
• have clear processes to identify spending priorities and approve funding
• track and accurately report on spending of levy money in a more efficient and effective way
• evaluate levy spending outcomes. The guidelines will also help the Ministry to better determine:
• waste minimisation outputs and outcomes from TA levy spending
• compliance with levy spending requirements under the WMA.