No one knows what New Zealand's recycling rate is

No one knows what New Zealand's recycling rate is
The government is spending hundreds of millions of dollars to improve a recycling rate it can’t even measure. (Image: NZME)
Cécile Meier
After months of investigating the rubbish industry for BusinessDesk's Waste is Money series, I still don't know what our recycling rate is.The Ministry for the Environment (Mfe) doesn’t know, the industry doesn’t know, and neither is even using the usual definition of recycling in their efforts to find out. This is troubling because the government is spending hundreds of millions of dollars in subsidy money to improve a recycling rate it can’t even measure. Councils nationwide are paying private bus...

More Environment

Kiwi's rat bait station wins top design honour
Environment

Kiwi's rat bait station wins top design honour

Jacob Reiher’s device is being featured in the Red Dot Design Museum and its yearbook.

John Anthony 31 Oct 2025
Director ‘vindicated’ after Drylandcarbon High Court ruling
Law & Regulation

Director ‘vindicated’ after Drylandcarbon High Court ruling

Anthony Beverley said he felt “fantastic satisfaction” after reading the judgment.

Gregor Thompson 15 Oct 2025
'Meth' ministry moves: staffing data sought for four-way merger
Infrastructure

'Meth' ministry moves: staffing data sought for four-way merger

Work is progressing on a four-ministry merger with the pejorative nickname ‘Meth’.

Dileepa Fonseka 14 Oct 2025
New online carbon tool could slash NZ building emissions
Property

New online carbon tool could slash NZ building emissions

Building designers, developers and owners are demanding low-carbon building products.

Greg Hurrell 25 Sep 2025