12. NICKY WAGNER (National—Christchurch Central) to the Minister for the Environment: What recent announcements has she made in relation to the Waste Minimisation Fund?

Hon AMY ADAMS (Minister for the Environment) : Last month I announced that more than $1 million has been awarded to 10 projects that will reduce the amount of landfill rubbish, under the latest funding round for the Waste Minimisation Fund. The 10 projects receiving funding this round include initiatives that encourage public recycling, the sorting of treated and untreated timber to make biofuel, and a project to help businesses compost more of their waste and raise the importance of composting. Every year New Zealanders send 2.5 million tonnes of waste to the landfill. That is over a tonne of rubbish per household. These projects will make a significant difference to our environment by encouraging individuals and businesses to reduce, reuse, and recycle.

Nicky Wagner: How have previous projects funded through the Waste Minimisation Fund helped to reduce waste in landfills?

Hon AMY ADAMS: I have recently received a report describing that more than 650 tonnes of plastic farm waste has been recycled nationwide during the past year, thanks to a Government-accredited product stewardship scheme called Plasback. Plasback supplies more than a thousand recycling bins to New Zealand farms, and collects agricultural plastics such as bale wrap, agrichemical containers, crop bags, and silage wraps and covers, which are recycled into new plastic products. This voluntary scheme is about getting alongside farmers and providing an environmentally friendly alternative. Thanks to the Waste Minimisation Fund and the agricultural sector’s commitment, this means there are now 650 fewer tonnes of plastic waste that are no longer being burned or buried.