New Zealand Regulatory News

New Zealand has in spring 2022 released the Waste Minimisation (Plastic and Related Products) Regulations 2022 that are a subject of the Waste Minimisation Act 2008.   The regulations' purp...

New Zealand has in spring 2022 released the Waste Minimisation (Plastic and Related Products) Regulations 2022 that are a subject of the Waste Minimisation Act 2008.  

The regulations' purpose is to ban the manufacture and sale of certain plastic products, in particular single-use plastics. The products that fall under the manufacturing and selling ban are:  

(a) plastic drink stirrers that are single use: 

(b) plastic or synthetic cotton buds that are single-use, unless they are used, or intended for use, — 

(i) as a medical device (as defined by section 3A of the Medicines Act 1981) that is not sold by retail; or 

(ii) in a veterinary clinic for diagnosis or sampling; or 

(iii) in a commercial food laboratory for food sampling; or 

(iv) in a laboratory for scientific investigation (even if they are first used for field sampling); or 

(v) as part of any kit or other material to test for any medical or scientific matter, including infection or immunity in an individual or animal, and to produce a result without analysis at a laboratory: 

(c) any product that contains plastic with pro-degradants: 

(d) PVC food trays or containers: 

(e) specified polystyrene packaging for food or drink. 

Please note that this even applies to plastics used to package a product that already has one layer of packaging.  

The Waste Minimisation (Plastic and Related Products) Regulations 2022 will be enforced from 1st October 2022.