Power to the plastic-free people

Otago Daily Times

13-06-2025

It's time to raise your own cup to Plastic Free July again.
As the days shorten and winter settles in, I start thinking about Plastic Free July. And I'm not alone. Worldwide, more than 174 million people took part last year, collectively saving a whopping 390,000 tonnes of plastic waste. That's about the same weight as 1.2 million green sea turtles — the iconic sea creature that often fatally mistakes floating plastics for jellyfish.
I've often heard it said that "we can't recycle our way out of the plastic problem". The reality is that since standardised recycling was introduced across the country in 2024, only plastic bottles and containers marked with the resin codes 1, 2 or 5 can be recycled in New Zealand kerbside recycling bins. Standardised recycling is a good thing; it makes it easy to know what can be recycled here (yes, it's not as many items as some would like, but at least they have pretty reliable markets and can be made into something new), and it nudges businesses and manufacturers to move away from cheap, non-recyclable plastics.
It gets complicated when looking at other plastics. Those with resin numbers 3, 4, 6 and 7 have to go in the rubbish as there are limited or no viable markets willing to take them and turn them into something new. Plastics from your garage or garden, even if they have the correct resin code, are also not accepted in kerbside bins because they could be dirty or contain hazardous material. Lids too, fall through the cracks. Alternative recycling avenues across the country can keep a select few plastics out of landfill if you know where to look, such as Mitre 10's in-store plant pot recycling scheme and the Plastic Packaging Forum soft plastic recycling scheme (available in stores for plastic packaging, such as bags for bread, pasta etc). But these end up as rubbish if you try to recycle them using your kerbside bins. As I said, it's complicated.
To really make a dent in the plastic problem, we have to question our reliance on it in the first place. That's where Plastic Free July (PFJ) really shines. Now in its 15th year, the collective movement is a powerful spotlight on positive environmental action.
If you're new to PFJ, a good way to approach it is not to think about doing without; instead, let go of perfection and focus on just one new thing that works for you (then try another). Every reusable cup taken to a cafe, every fabric bag taken to the supermarket, every decision to buy in bulk or choose unpackaged produce directly reduces the demand for new plastic production.
The added beauty of taking on a challenge during July is joining a global cheerleading squad taking small steps alongside you. You can take up the challenge at www.plasticfreejuly.org.
Locally, too, you'll find people in the same boat, sharing local solutions, celebrating small victories, and offering genuine support. It's in these connections and kōrero that solutions appear, obstacles start to shrink, and what is often a solitary experience transforms into a shared, empowering action for the environment.
July serves as a reminder that while systemic change is non-negotiable, our individual choices create a cumulative effect, sending clear signals up the supply chain and fostering a new norm. This interplay means our daily choices aren't just about our personal values, they are potent drivers for the larger systemic shifts we desperately need.
At the start of June, the Ministry for the Environment closed public submissions on proposed amendments to the Waste Minimisation Act. This is a significant move as, despite the Act's initial good intentions, our waste laws are too weak for effective and sustained waste minimisation.
Our most powerful tools for change lie in extending producer responsibility and strategically investing the Waste Levy into waste reduction so that we end up wasting less (and paying less too). To make real progress we need to hold producers accountable for the entire lifecycle of their products, including their eventual disposal.
The proposed updates would make it possible to put a container deposit return scheme in place (finally!) and to put better frameworks in place for developing schemes to collect products like e-waste and textiles.
The power of strong government leadership is a pivotal influence, and it's often driven by grassroots zero-waste advocacy, such as the plastic bag ban in July 2019. While we may still occasionally forget our reusable shopping bags, I think we can all agree nobody, least of all the green sea turtle, misses the plastic-bag pollution.
More single-use plastic bans came into play in 2022 and 2023, so that an estimated 1 billion plastic straws, plastic cutlery, bowls and plates and plastic produce bags were prevented from ending up in landfills or the environment in the first year after they were banned.
Fuelled by robust regulation and collective action, these outcomes underscore the critical role both individual choices and policy play in shaping a more sustainable Aotearoa. As we head into Plastic Free July, it's a reminder that every conscious choice, however small, builds momentum for change.
If you're keen to dip your toe in plastic-free waters (literally and figuratively) or you're a PFJ-pro wanting to accelerate your impact, Wastebusters is hosting free events throughout July packed with inspiration, encouragement and connection to help you succeed. We'd love you to join us!
Ruth Blunt is communications manager at Wastebusters. Each week in this column, one of a panel of writers addresses issues of sustainability.