tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2830084253401570472.post4705078829565293932..comments2024-03-28T09:22:36.967+13:00Comments on Offsetting Behaviour: Reader mailbag: Dunedin plastic mountains editionEric Cramptonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15831696523324469713noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2830084253401570472.post-63002994252611019562013-09-09T12:05:41.280+12:002013-09-09T12:05:41.280+12:00Ah! Got it now. Seems plausible.Ah! Got it now. Seems plausible.Eric Cramptonhttp://offsettingbehaviour.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2830084253401570472.post-37207945791534681942013-09-05T12:24:41.616+12:002013-09-05T12:24:41.616+12:00I would agree that there are also straight out fin...I would agree that there are also straight out financial efficiency reasons for choosing use-once packaging rather than reusable packaging or even no packaging. Even so I don't think the joint initiative between government and industry to reduce packaging at source has made much progress. At the same time all food manufacturers know that a conservative approach to packaging will help guarantee that a food safety plan is accepted by MPI/local council. So food suppliers are highly incentivised to over-package.<br /><br /><br />I stand by the comment that two parts of government are working in opposition to each other so it's no big surprise if we find that some excess costs being passed on to ratepayers and consumers.<br /><br /><br />If anyone finds any research in this area I too would be very interested.Donaldnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2830084253401570472.post-18745566683886767522013-09-05T12:02:14.339+12:002013-09-05T12:02:14.339+12:00I'm pretty unconvinced that the biggest part o...I'm pretty unconvinced that the biggest part of recycling comes out of Foodsafety NZ requirements. Glass bottles and plastic milk containers would exist regardless of those regs. Is there a cite on this? I could imagine an argument where the lowest-value parts of the recycling stream are there because of mandates elsewhere, but I'd love to see the numbers on it.Eric Cramptonhttp://offsettingbehaviour.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2830084253401570472.post-11537075804853789462013-09-05T07:30:48.450+12:002013-09-05T07:30:48.450+12:00It would help if we didn't have two branches o...It would help if we didn't have two branches of central government sending out conflicting requirements.<br /><br /><br />On the one hand councils are signed up to or required to follow the national waste minimisation strategy (Reduce, Recycle, Reuse) which is the justification for recycling schemes such as this one and their associated costs. Presumably this comes from Ministry for the Environment.<br /><br /><br />On the other hand Foodsafety NZ (part of MoBIE) encourages more waste through increased food packaging. They also actively promote all those "use-once" items such as plastic plates, cutlery, glasses etc.<br /><br /><br />Given that food packaging represents something like 99% of our recycling stream you would think it would be a priority of central government to develop a co-ordinated approach instead of continuing this lunacy.<br /><br /><br />BTW this is one of those classic cases where the public sector can use divided responsibility to avoid any accountability. Central government says "not our problem councils do recycling". Councils say "Not our fault, we have to do this 'cos government told us to". Brilliant.Donaldnoreply@blogger.com