Mars has had to change the packaging of their chocolate in New Zealand multiple times after it turned out it’s not recyclable in New Zealand.
In July, the confectionery company released a brand new paper-based wrapping for their bars with instructions to recycle.
This was quickly reversed as it turns out that packaging isn’t able to be recycled in New Zealand and must go into the waste.
Speaking to Breakfast this morning, Waste Management’s chief growth and sustainability officer, Ingrid Cronin Knight, said that Mars followed the correct process - but New Zealand's recycling infrastructure just can’t handle it.
“They’ve followed a good process to access the packaging, but they used an assessment tool which looked at what was recyclable in Australia and not what was recyclable here in New Zealand,” she said.
“We have different standards.”
She said the two countries have a different scale when it comes to recycling infrastructure, and because the wrapping has a small layer of plastic lining, it can’t be processed.
“At the movement, we’ve got pretty good infrastructure around paper, cardboard, plastic jars, bottles.
“But it’s got a little lining of that, so it doesn't fit into your curbside bin.”
While the Government is standardising what can and can’t be recycled, Mars wrappers still won’t be able to go into the recycling bin.
“It’s great to see that manufacturers are innovating, but anything that has a little layer of plastic means the paper and cardboard can’t be recycled.”
“Unfortunately for Mars, we’re still not gonna be able to take that next year.”
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