G/TBT/N/NZL/103/Add.2  
 
24 January 2023  
(23-0563) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade  Original: English  
 
NOTIFICATION  
Addendum  
The following communication , dated  24 January 2023, is being circulated at the request of the 
delegation of New Zealand . 
 
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Title:  Notification of final measures for Tranche 2 of Reducing the impact of plastic on our 
environment - moving away from hard -to-recycle and single -use items  
 
Reason for Addendum:  
[ ] Comment period changed - date:   
[X] Notified measure adopted - date: 28 November 2022; The Waste Minimisation (Plastic 
and Related Products) Amendment Regulations 2022 were finalised on 28 November 
2022 and can be accessed here: Waste Minimisation (Plastic and Related Products) 
Amendment Regu lations 2022 (SL 2022/312) Contents – New Zealand Legislation.  
Small changes were made to the proposals of the consultation document following 
consultation with industry on the Tranche 2 regulations. These are outlined in the 
description below.  
[ ] Notified measure published - date:  
[X] Notified measure enters into force - date: 1 July 2023  
[X] Text of final measure available from1:  
Waste Minimisation (Plastic and Related Products) Amendment Regulations 2022 (SL 
2022/312) Contents – New Zealand Legisl ation.  
[ ] Notified measure withdrawn or revoked - date:  
Relevant symbol if measure re -notified:   
[ ] Content or scope of notified measure changed  and text available from1:  
New deadline for comments (if applicable):   
[ ] Interpretive guidance issued and text available from1:  
[ ] Other:  
 
Description:  The Waste Minimisation (Plastic and Related Products) Amendment Regulations 2022 
were finalised on 28 November 2022, giving effect to Tranche 2 proposals as notified in Reducing 
the impact of plastic on our environment - moving away from hard -to-recycle an d single -use items: 
consultation document. This document signalled our intention to phase out problematic single -use 
and hard -to-recycle plastic items over three tranches.  The Tranche 2 proposals will enter into force 
on 1 July 2023.  
 
1 This information can be provided by including a website address, a pdf attachment, or other 
information on where the text of the final /modified  measure and/or interpretive guidance can be obtained.  G/TBT/N/NZL/103/Add.2  
 
- 2 - 
 
  The Regulations prohi bit the sale and manufacture of single -use plastic produce bags, plates, bowls, 
cutlery, as well as the sale of single -use plastic straws. Small changes were made to the proposals 
of the consultation document following consultation with industry on the Tra nche 2 regulations. 
Following engagement with the health and disability sector, the regulations provide an exemption to 
allow certain businesses and entities to sell plastic straws to people with a health or disability 
condition. A time -bound exemption wil l also be established for plastic straws that are attached to 
packaging at manufacture (eg. on juice and milk boxes) to allow time for innovation and testing to 
take place.  
The Regulations also set the requirement for produce labels (i.e. fruit and vegetab le stickers) to be 
home -compostable (i.e. the label must meet specified certifications in the regulations) with a phased 
entry for imported produce. Labels applied to domestically grown produce for sale on the New 
Zealand market must be home compostable by  1 July 2023. With a view to minimising the effect on 
trade, labels applied to imported produce for sale on the New Zealand market must be home 
compostable by mid -2025. While the produce labels themselves must be home compostable by these 
dates, a home com postable label adhesive (glue) is under development and as such will be exempt 
from the requirement until 1 July 2025 (in line with the anticipated date for readiness as advised by 
label manufacturers).  
Further information can be found on the Ministry Envi ronment's website: Phasing out hard -to-recycle 
and single -use plastics | Ministry for the Environment . 
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