Steven Joyce, Amy Adams
11 December, 2012
Building Natural Resources highlights how
recommendations from the Green Growth Advisory
Group are being integrated into the Government’s
wider growth agenda, Economic Development
Minister Steven Joyce and Environment Minister
Amy Adams say.
“The challenge for New Zealand – and frankly
all countries – is how we can make the most
of all our opportunities to achieve strong
economic growth that delivers jobs alongside
policies that improve the environment,”
Mr Joyce says.
The Green Growth Advisory Group, established
by the Government, made 26 recommendations
in its report Greening New Zealand’s Growth
on how New Zealand can build a more productive
and competitive economy, reinforced by high-quality
environmental outcomes.
“The Government agreed at the time with
the central conclusion in the report that
New Zealand needs a broad growth strategy
where all sectors take into account their
environmental performance rather than focusing
on a select group of ‘green’ industries,”
Mr Joyce says.
“The Government sees major opportunities
for New Zealand in industries covered in
the report such as the food and beverage
industry, tourism, high-value manufacturing
and services, and the petroleum and minerals
sector.”
Ms Adams says Building Natural Resources
shows the Government is committed to greening
growth in our economy.
“Our environment and our economy and are
inextricably linked. Our natural resources
provide our competitive advantage and need
to be well managed to enable sustainable
economic growth as well as long-term environmental
integrity.
“Greening New Zealand’s Growth has a wide
range of recommendations many of which the
Government is already addressing including
initiatives in energy efficiency, climate
change, water reform, biodiversity, the
‘New Zealand Story’ and our increased investment
in innovation, research and development.”
+ More
Government scheme reduces
paint going to landfill
Amy Adams
7 December, 2012
A Government-accredited product stewardship
scheme has diverted more than 230,000 litres
of paint and 90,000kg of steel buckets from
landfill in the last year, Environment Minister
Amy Adams says.
Resene’s PaintWise recycling and education
programme finds beneficial uses for waste
products, including donating unused paint
to community groups and recycling the steel
paint buckets returned as part of the scheme.
“Many people are unsure of what to do with
surplus paint and are worried about the
effect it has on the environment,” Ms Adams
says.
“People tend to buy more paint than they
need for a project and the unused paint
is often sent to landfill or, even worse,
washed down our sewerage or stormwater systems
where it can cause significant environmental
harm.
“Resene is an excellent example of an organisation
taking responsibility for waste in its industry
by providing New Zealanders with an environmentally-responsible
way of disposing of their unused paint.”
Staff at Resene’s stores also help customers
better calculate the amount of paint needed
for their project, and are told unused paint
and steel buckets can be returned to the
store to be reused and recycled.
The Government’s product stewardship schemes
ensure all parties involved in the production
and distribution of a product take responsibility
for its impact on the environment at the
end of its life.
Resene’s PaintWise scheme received government
accreditation in August last year.
