G/TBT/N/NZL/111  
28 April 2022  
(22-3371) Page: 1/3 
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade  Original:  English  
 
  
NOTIFICATION  
The following notification is being circulated in accordance with Article 10.6  
 
1. Notifying Member:  NEW ZEALAND  
If applicable, name of local government involved (Article 3.2 and 7.2):   
2. Agency responsible:   
Ministry for the Environment  
PO Box 10362  
Wellington 6143  
New Zealand  
www.mfe.govt.nz   
transformingrecycling@mfe.govt.nz  
Ph: +64 4 439 7400  
Name and address (including telephone and fax numbers , email and website 
addresses, if available) of agency or authority designated to handle comments 
regarding the notification shall be indicated if different from above:   
Standards New Zealand  
wto@standards.co.nz  
www.standards.govt.nz  
Ph: +64 4 498 5990  
3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [X], 2.10.1 [  ], 5.6.2 [  ], 5.7.1 [  ], 3.2 [  ], 7.2 [  ], 
other :  
4. Product s covered (HS or CCCN where applicable, otherwise national tariff 
heading. ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where applicable):   
• Beverages, Chapter 22;  
• Glass beverage containers, Chapter 70.10;  
• Plastic beverage containers, Chapter 39.23;  
• Metal beverage containers, Chapters 73.10, 76.10;  
• Liquid paperboard beverage containers, Chapter 48.11.  
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document:   
Transforming Recycling (Part 1: Container Return Scheme)  
 
Public consultation document  
https://environment.govt.nz/publications/transforming -recycling -consultation -
document/  136 pages in English (relevant pages on the Container Return Scheme 
proposal are pages 1 -61, and Appendix 1)  
 
Summary of the Container Return Scheme proposal  
https://environment.govt.nz/assets/pub lications/Container -Return -Scheme -Snapshot -
of-the-Consultation.pdf  8 pages in English; (136 page(s), in English)  G/TBT/N/NZL/111  
 
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  6. Description of content:  The attached consultation document outlines New Zealand's 
proposal to transform recycling, of which Part 1 includes  the establishment of a beverage 
container return scheme. The container return scheme is a resource recovery scheme 
that encourages people to return beverage containers for recycling or refilling in exchange 
for a refundable deposit.  
The proposed regulatio ns will set out the eligible beverage containers that can be sold on 
the New Zealand market under the Container Return Scheme. The Container Return 
Scheme is proposed to include labelling requirements for eligible containers, and a 20 
cent refundable depos it (and scheme fee of 3 to 5 cents per container + GST) being 
applied on eligible containers when they enter the market. The scope of the scheme is 
proposed to cover single use beverage containers made from glass, plastic (PET, HDPE 
and PP only, and recycl able bio -based HDPE and PET), metal (e.g. aluminum, steel, 
tinplate and bimetals), and liquid paperboard.  
Beverage containers eligible for return would have specific conditions of acceptance, 
which may include a scheme label or identifying mark, a barcode,  a QR code or other 
form of unique identification. If the scheme is to proceed, details of specific labelling 
requirements will be worked through during the development of the regulations in 2024.  
It is proposed that fresh milk would be exempt in all packa ging types. This is because 
fresh milk is often considered a staple food item for households and where milk is 
consumed at home, kersbide collections collect much of this material. It is also not 
frequently consumed while 'out and about' and thus presents a lesser litter issue. 
Beverage containers that are intended for refilling and have an established 
return/refillables scheme are also proposed to be exempt at this stage.   
Under the proposed timeline, regulations are proposed to be drafted and consulted on in 
2024 for implementation in June 2025.  
7. Objective and rationale, including the nature of urgent problems where 
applicable:  Protection of the environment  
8. Relevant documents:   
Transforming Recycling (Specifically Part 1: Container Return Scheme)  
Public consultation document  
https://environment.govt.nz/publications/transforming -recycling -consultation -
document/  
Interim regulatory impact statement: A beverage container return scheme for Aotearoa 
New Zealand.  
https://env ironment.govt.nz/publications/interim -regulatory -impact -statement -a-
beverage -container -scheme -for-aotearoa -new-zealand/  
9. Proposed date of adoption:  Proposed date of adoption: Estimated to be December 
2024 
Proposed date of entry into force:  Proposed date of entry into force: Estimated 
effective from mid 2025  
10. Final date for comments:  60 days from notification  G/TBT/N/NZL/111  
 
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  11. Texts available from:  National enquiry point [X] or address, telephone and fax 
numbers and email and website addresses, if available , of other body:   
Ministry for the Environment  
PO Box 10362  
Wellington 6143  
New Zealand  
www.mfe.govt.nz  
transformingrecycling@mfe.govt.nz  
Ph: +64 4 439 7400  
https://environment.govt.nz/publications/transforming -recycling -consultation -
document/