Chief scientist tells universities to carve out a niche in biodegradable plastics and alternative materials
New Zealand’s chief science adviser Juliet Gerrard has called for the government to commission more research into the recycling and disposal of plastics to reduce waste levels by 2021.
She has also put forward initiatives to reduce single-use plastics and recommended better collection of data on the health and environmental impacts of plastics pollution.
Gerrard worked with an expert panel that included members from NZ universities, the Sustainable Business Council and the Māori Biosecurity Network to look at ways to reduce plastic waste.
The report, Rethinking Plastics in Aotearoa New Zealand, was launched by prime minister Jacinda Ardern and conservation minister Eugenie Sage on 8 December.
“Many New Zealanders, including many children, write to me about plastic—concerned with its proliferation over the past decade and the mounting waste ending up in our oceans. I share this concern for our natural environment,” Ardern said.
“Our first target will be to move away from single-use packaging and beverage containers made of hard-to-recycle PVC and polystyrene. Examples include polystyrene meat trays, cups and takeaway food containers.”
Gerrard said the report aimed to “find ways to reduce the size of the plastic shadow that is cast by modern life”.
“The growing body of evidence related to plastics in the environment makes the case for changes to certain products. That might mean shifting away from plastics for certain applications or it might mean redesigning a plastic product so that, for example, a lid can no longer detach and end up in the ocean.”
The report suggests that more research is needed in areas such as plastic-eating enzymes, product design and materials science.
“There is great potential for Aotearoa New Zealand’s research institutes and universities to carve out a niche for our plastics manufacturing industry in the bio-based and biodegradable plastics markets and to connect with international research efforts for new materials,” it says.
“There are impacts on the environment throughout the whole life cycle of a plastic product, with particularly significant impacts if leaked into the environment. There is still a lot we don’t know about the environmental and health impacts related to plastic. Research is required to address these knowledge gaps.”