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Does she agree with the Chief executive of Plastics NZ who said of the uncertainty with regards to hard-to-recycle plastics “the complete removal of the deadline to be problematic as this creates uncertainty for businesses and is unfair on those who have invested significant time and money into meeting the original phaseout deadline”?

Answered Question 1 (2026)
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Asked by

Rachel Brooking

Member for Dunedin · Labour Party

Question

  • Does she agree with the Chief executive of Plastics NZ who said of the uncertainty with regards to hard-to-recycle plastics “the complete removal of the deadline to be problematic as this creates uncertainty for businesses and is unfair on those who have invested significant time and money into meeting the original phaseout deadline”?

Answered by

Hon Penny Simmonds

Member for Invercargill · National Party · Minister for the Environment

Answer

I know New Zealand stakeholders are looking for certainty and are awaiting further guidance on the direction of the phase outs to inform investment decisions. I note the significant efforts of businesses who prioritised transitioning products early or made significant business decisions in order to align with the indicated policy direction. Levelling the playing field for business is an important consideration with regards to next steps.