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Waste
New Zealand disposed of an estimated 2.53 million tonnes of solid waste to municipal landfills in 2010. Waste can represent the inefficient use of valuable natural resources when potentially reusable materials, such as paper, plastic, organic waste, glass and metal, are disposed of to landfills.
Some wastes produce powerful greenhouse gases and others have significant health impacts on humans and animals.
Waste is unsightly and can pollute our waterways, air and land unless it is adequately managed.
Environmental indicator
The Waste Minimisation Act 2008 defines waste as “any thing disposed of or discarded”. Waste is generated in numerous forms – solid, liquid or gas – which can change over time. Waste comprises a mixture of many different materials, including organic, paper, plastic, metal, timber and potentially hazardous substances.
Waste can be generated at different times during the material’s life cycle, extraction, manufacturing and consumption. In essence, the waste stream reflects changing economic activity, patterns of production and consumption, legislation and waste management costs.
The national environmental indicator for waste provides information on the quantity and composition of solid waste disposal.
This information has come from the Solid waste composition and Solid waste disposal environmental report cards
This information has come from the Solid waste composition environmental report card and Environment New Zealand 2007
For more information on other national-level waste indicators see the:
- Ministry of Tourism’s Environmental Indicator Set for New Zealand Tourism
- Environmental Risk Management Authority’s (ERMA’s) Annual Monitoring Report.
Last updated: 20 October 2009
