It's Global Recycling Day! A new video from independent waste educator Kate Fenwick of Waste‑Ed with Kate
To mark Global Recycling Day, we're pleased to share a new video from independent waste educator Kate Fenwick of Waste‑Ed with Kate, supported by Plastics NZ.
This teases a new series of recycling videos focused on plastics.
The first video in the series features footage showing New Zealand’s most commonly recycled plastics — #1 PET, #2 HDPE and #5 PP — from household kerbside bins through sorting and reprocessing, and into new products manufactured here in New Zealand.
Why this matters:
Research shows 57% of New Zealanders say they always recycle plastic bottles and containers, with a further 31% saying they recycle most of the time. Yet New Zealand’s plastic recycling rate for all packaging sits at just 17%, well below the EU average of around 41%.
Confusion, food contamination and lack of trust in the system remain key barriers for Kiwi consumers — even though many plastics are successfully recycled onshore today.
These videos help close the gap between perception and reality. They show real examples of plastics being recycled in New Zealand — and highlight the opportunity to lift recovery rates if recyclable material is correctly sorted and supported by continued investment in domestic infrastructure.
We encourage everyone to watch, share, and use this content in conversations with staff, customers, stakeholders, family and friends. Building understanding and confidence in recycling systems is critical if we are to move beyond 17% and create a more resilient, circular plastics system for New Zealand.
Watch and share the videos:
More videos in the series will be shared through our newsletter and social media channels as they become available. Watch this space!