Business. Scoop » NZ’s Waste Generation Holds Steady In 2025; Significant Lift In Recycling Sent Offshore
Press Release – WRIAWRIA Executive Director Barney Irvine says that the waste sector is a powerful indicator of the state of the wider economy, and that the data suggests that the recent economic downturn may. . .
Press Release – WRIAWRIA Executive Director Barney Irvine says that the waste sector is a powerful indicator of the state of the wider economy, and that the data suggests that the recent economic downturn may have reached its lowest point. After plummeting from 2022 to 2024, the amount of waste generated by New Zealanders held steady in 2025, though significantly more of the recycling component of that waste was sent offshore for processing, instead of being dealt with domestically. That’s the main take-out from the Waste & Recycling Industry Association’s (WRIA) 2025 Waste & Recycling Snapshot, which presents key sector data for the calendar year. The data is derived from the WRIA’s seven members (plus the key recyclers in Auckland and Christchurch), who together are responsible for collecting around 95% of New Zealand’s household waste and recycling, and handle 70% of municipal landfill waste. A total of 4. 2 million tonnes of waste was handled by WRIA members in 2025 (close to 80% being landfill waste, the rest being recycling), down from close to 4. 4 million tonnes the year before. This follows a decline from over 6 million tonnes in 2022. Photo/Supplied. WRIA Executive Director Barney Irvine says that the waste sector is a powerful indicator of the state of the wider economy, and that the data suggests that the recent economic downturn may have reached its lowest point. “The big decline in waste volumes we’ve seen in recent years is primarily a story of economic malaise – when economic activity is down, the country produces less waste. It’s been driven by commercial and industrial waste, and in particular the heavily depressed state of the building and construction sector. Building and construction makes up the majority of the waste that gets sent to landfill. “What this data suggests is that we may finally have hit the bottom of the economic cycle. This is an economy that’s ready to start growing again, and that’s good news. ”While commercial and industrial waste fell from 3. 5 million tonnes in 2024 to 3. 3 million tonnes in 2025, household waste largely held steady (at 879,000 tonnes), illustrating that consumption of food and drink products – which constitute the bulk of household waste – remains strong even when the economy is weak. “The continued trend is for households to look for more affordable options, rather than cutting back on consumption,” Mr Irvine says. Notwithstanding the lack of change in waste generation volumes, there was significant movement in where recycling material was sent for processing. The proportion of recycling processed onshore decreased from 66% to 54%, while the proportion processed offshore increased from 23% to 36% (the proportion of recycling sent to landfill fell from 11% to 10%). Mr Irvine says this is down to one factor: the closure of Oji Fibre Solutions’ paper and cardboard processing facilities in 2024 and 2025, which were the only large-scale facilities of their kind in the country. It’s a pity to see New Zealand lose that capability, and for those jobs to be sent offshore, he says, but the onshore processing system is still in good shape. “Markets remain healthy for the other materials we process in New Zealand. We still process the bulk of our recycling domestically, and that isn’t about to change. ”Further, while large volumes of paper and cardboard can no longer be processed in New Zealand, there’s still strong demand for clean paper and cardboard around the world, which our recyclers can tap into. “Whether recyclable material is processed onshore or offshore, the key thing is that it has an end market and is put to good use, rather than being sent to landfill,” says Mr Irvine. “Given New Zealand’s small scale, as well as relative energy and labour costs, we’re not able to complete all material cycles domestically. ”All the same, Mr Irvine says that current access international end-markets shouldn’t be taken for granted. “It’s possible to envisage a scenario where markets for some plastics, for instance, get a whole lot tighter. We don’t want to be hit with this without having a solution in place, otherwise the outcome could be significantly more plastic ending up in landfills – initially, anyway. This will require the whole sector – central and local government, industry, and community groups – to work together, and the planning needs to start now. ”Notes:The Waste & Recycling Industry Association represents the main private operators in New Zealand’s waste management sector, with members including:Enviro NZGreen GorillaJJ RichardsNorthland WasteSmart EnvironmentalVisyWMContent Sourced fromscoop. co. nzOriginal url