25/05/2006 - The paper
sector have been congratulated for exceeding their
target for recycling – two years ahead of schedule.
Environment Minister David Benson-Pope
today congratulated the performance of the paper
sector during Year One of the New Zealand Packaging
Accord.
Speaking to a meeting of the
New Zealand Paperboard Packaging Association in
Auckland he described their achievement of 72
per cent recovery of paperboard packaging for
the year to March 2005 as impressive.
"As you will all know,
this success exceeds the Accord target of 70 per
cent by 2008, set for the paper sector,"
said Mr Benson-Pope.
"You certainly make a mockery
of the recent comment by Green's Environment Spokesperson
Nandor Tanczos when he said the present voluntary
Packaging Accord has proved to be a 'remarkable
failure'.
"In fact, national targets
for the recovery of paper, plastic, aluminium,
glass and steel, by weight of consumption, are
all tracking towards their 2008 targets.
"These recycling targets
are of course comparable with those overseas,
for example Europe, and the current recovery rates
in New Zealand are similar to those achieved in
regulated jurisdictions."
Mr Benson-Pope said the efforts
of the paper sector were to be celebrated.
"The Packaging Accord is
all about continuous improvement and you may consider
setting additional targets or goals to strive
for with the overall objective of reducing waste
and increasing recycling and reuse of paper."
