LinkedIn·Wednesday, 19 August 2026·6d ago

New Zealand’s current glass recovery model is now difficult to justify 👇 ➡️ In 2024, only 70% of glass was collected, with the remaining…

Reloop

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New Zealand’s current glass recovery model is now difficult to justify 👇 ➡️ In 2024, only 70% of glass was collected, with the remaining 30% lost to litter or sent directly to landfill. ➡️ Of the material collected, only 46% of glass placed on the market was recycled into new bottles. ➡️The remaining collected material was either downcycled into aggregate and other materials or landfilled. While UK and European beverage producers are responsible for the costs of their packaging recovery through either Deposit Return Systems (DRS) or Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) schemes, the New Zealand packaging sector makes only a minimal contribution to recovery, funded by a small voluntary industry levy. The vast majority of the responsibility and costs of glass recovery falls on ratepayers and local authorities, with the glass industry contributing a tiny proportion via a small number of project grants. Reloop’s latest policy briefing sets out how including glass within a New Zealand deposit return system represents the most effective pathway to higher-quality collection, reduced public costs, improved recycling outcomes and long-term reuse. 🔗 Read more about this in an article by Reloop's Rob Kelman in FMCG Business https://lnkd.in/eHNceyBS 🔍 Explore Reloop's policy briefing 'The future of glass packaging in Aotearoa New Zealand' https://lnkd.in/et-HK5DE