A wicked problem
The basics on plastic & recycling
Plastic is everywhere — we buy it, wrap our lives in it and toss it without thinking. Even when we try to recycle, the system is confusing and full of half-truths.
That’s what makes it a “wicked problem” — complex, messy, and hard to solve. (Probably my favourite academic term.)
Maybe that’s why we don’t ask too many questions. Because once you do, the answers aren’t so pretty.
Here’s a short film to help you zoom out and see the global picture.
How did we get here?
The first fully synthetic (meaning all man made molecules) plastic was made in 1907, it wasn't until after WW2 when the explosion of plastic happened. Imagine rationing, suffering and thriftiness for years and then there is peace, jobs, an economic and population boom. Show me a better petri dish for the rise of convenience and consumerism?
Can we blame them? Baby boomers definitely get a bad rap, however, it’s human nature to strive for the best and to fit in. After decades of mass production and mass consumption with no obvious consequences it is so ingrained in our culture. Fast forward to now and could we live without plastic? I honestly don’t think I could. Think of all the items you use everyday. From getting dressed, driving your car, talking on the phone, to eating your favourite bag of chips or chocolate bar. We are so conditioned to this convenience, our modern lives only really work because of it. Its easy to blame those who have come before, but we are all responsible for this now.
Where does this leave us?
Up sh!t creek really, I’m not sure how to sugar coat the plastic problem we have. Plastic is indispensable for global supply chains and affordable consumer goods — basiclaly our modern way of living. There is no way big business and most governments are going to solve this problem when it's in their best interests not to $. Once again it is up to consumers and these individuals to shift the dial on our value towards plastic. We call this behaviour change.
Segway into what we can do
Let's not reinvent the wheel here. Reduce, reuse then recycle is the best line we got.
Reduce is about our consumption, what we buy and why. Perhaps just a reminder if the problem may help you think twice about your choices.
Unfortunately the current government has quietly delayed a plastic reduction plan implemented by the last government. Tranche 3 (pronounced “tron-shes” a fancy word for phases or stages) has been “paused” phasing out all hard to recycle plastics such as polystyrene food and drink packaging and PVC which is one of the most commonly used plastics. Allowing more time to phase out fruit stickers as well.
They have also cut $177.7 million from the government’s waste minimisation fund over four years and broadened the fund’s scope to include projects outside of its initial focus.
It sounds simple, but somehow reusing or buying secondhand still carries a bit of a stigma — like it’s only for people who can’t afford new. We’ve built a culture that glorifies “newness,” where having the latest, biggest or best has become a kind of status symbol. I get it — we all like nice things. However, somewhere along the way, we’ve blurred the line between what brings joy and what just adds to the pile. (More on that another day.)
For now, let’s bring it back to basics. Stop being so snobby and save the dollars for things that really matter.
A lot of the plastic we do end up with can be reused.
Those resealable bags you get your cashews in? Use it again for snacks.
Yoghurt containers? Perfect for freezing leftovers.
Ice cream tubs? Brilliant for storing kids craft supplies.
Why buy more plastic to do the same job when you already have it at home?
Recycle. It's the last resort, and we still suck at it.
This is a super basic breakdown of plastics in NZ. I've even come up with a rhyme to remember what numbers you can recycle in your kerbside bin.
“1,2 & 5 In ya kerbside Nationwide”
Kiwis throw out 1.7 billion plastic containers every year - thats about a handful of plastic each every day. Where does that go? In our land. This fact makes us one of the highest waste generators in the world.
NZ’s New Recycling Rules (2025)
There are 7 types of plastics (plastics are numbered to show what type of plastic resin they’re made from, helping recyclers and processors sort them) and we only recycle 3 types in NZ. This is because the other types of plastics we can't recycle here in NZ are basically sh!t types of plastic and are of “low value” so they would get shipped overseas, where they are often dumped or burnt and generally cause harm to those communities. We’ve all heard of the scandals - and it's true! See these images from Camilla Rutherford on her photo series in Vietnam’s so-called “recycling villages.” Revealing former rice-farming families who now spend their days hand-sorting, shredding and washing imported plastic waste—often without regulations or protection, burning plastic openly and dumping wastewater into streets and rivers.
“once were farmers” Camilla Rutherford
Recycling is a way for us to feel better about our consumer behaviour. Most “recycling” is really downcycling. Your water bottle might get one more life as a shampoo bottle, but after that, it becomes landfill, and then eventually turns into micro plastics… We haven't even touched on micro plastics yet… That's a whole other blog!
Don’t forget about tetra paks and soft plastics that in the past have ended up in the rubbish can actually be recycled right here in NZ.
Soft plastics are basically any plastic wrap that can be screwed up (many have the logo on it). Collect them and then take to your local New World of Warehouse where they get made into all sorts of recycled products, such as fencing products, building materials, courier bags and more.
Tetra paks (your alternative milk cartons etc) get recycled in Hamilton and made into building products. Their website has drop off locations throughout NZ you can take your tetra paks to.
Savebaord building example
Where to end?
This is just a basic overview — a starting point to help unpack the wicked problem of plastic. While this blog ends here, my journey with plastic doesn’t. I’ll be back with more: practical tips, product swaps and small changes that help us all use less plastic and live more consciously.
Best practices to be (more) plastic free
Refuse single-use plastics. Bring your own bags, bottles, and containers.
Choose products with minimal or no plastic packaging.
Support businesses using compostable or reusable packaging.
Shop at refilleries and bulk stores where possible.
Recycle better, stick to #1, #2 and #5 plastics—cleaned and dried.
Use soft plastic drop-offs (and tetra pak ones too) where available.
Visit your local recycling centre. Ours is amazing and has so much information!
