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NEW ZEALAND NATIONAL PLASTICS PLAN KEY DATES & OVERVIEW
Updated: May 2025
New Zealand’s National Plastic Plan legislation addresses hard-to-recycle food and drink packaging, and problematic single-use plastic items[1].
Legislation extends to all types of plastic including compostable and bio-based plastics [2].
Find below overview of New Zealand’s National Plastics Plan Key Dates.
NEW ZEALAND NATIONAL PLASTICS PLAN -
KEY DATES & OVERVIEW
Stage 1: 1 October 2022
Banned items included in this stage:
- Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) meat trays
- Rigid polystyrene (PS) takeaway packaging
- Expanded polystyrene (EPS) food and beverage packaging including takeaway containers
- Degradable plastic products (eg, oxo- and photo-degradable)
- Plastic drink stirrers
- Plastic stemmed cotton-buds, including PLA compostable cotton buds and drink stirrers
Exempt items from this stage:
- Polystyrene cup lids
- Clear PET (1) including recycled PET (rPET)
- Reusable, paper and fibre-based alternatives, PET, and Polypropylene takeaway packaging
- EPS bins used in cold-chain supply lines
- Wooden stirrers made from paper or bamboo
Stage 2: July 2023
Banned items included in this stage:
- Single-use plastic produce bags
- Single-use plastic plates, bowls and cutlery
- Single-use plastic straws*
- Non-home compostable plastic produce labels
Exempt items from this stage:
- Home compostable produce labels
- Reusable bags
- Plastic bowls made with attached lids
- Plastic-lined paper plates, bowls
- Cutlery made of paper, cardboard, bamboo
- Straws made from bamboo, silicone, metal, paper or edible straws
*Medical exemption apply.
Stage 3: Currently on Hold
Banned items included in this stage:
- All other PVC food and beverage packaging
- All other EPS / PS / HIPS (Polystyrene) food and beverage packaging
Exempt items from this stage:
- PET / RPET plastic items which are recyclable
- PP / Polypropylene plastics, which are recyclable,
- Glass, cardboard or reusable/refillable packaging potential alternatives.
DOWNLOAD SUMMARY OF AU & NZ SUPP's BANS
All overview information and proposed dates are provided as guidance only and can change without notice. Always refer to the official Country or State Specific legislation documents for current changes and dates.
SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING CHOICES
NEW ZEALAND WASTE MINIMISATION ENFORCEMENT & PENALTIES
Officers from the Secretary for the Environment will enforce legislation – which includes compliance monitoring and auditing, as well as investigation and enforcement.
Read the full consultation document, here.
Read the Waste Minimisation (Plastic and Related Products) Regulations 2022, here.
More information about legislation is available, here.
References
[1] https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/government-takes-action-problem-plastics
[2] https://environment.govt.nz/what-government-is-doing/areas-of-work/waste/plastic-phase-out/
