EPS could meet the criteria for a contaminant under the Resource Management Act. Photo: 123RF / Norasit Kaewsai
A report by waste industry group WasteMINZ has found expanded polystyrene (EPS) could meet the criteria for classification as a contaminant under the Resource Management Act.
WasteMINZ construction waste group chair Mark Roberts said urgent action is needed to regulate EPS use and explore safer alternatives.
It breaks down into fragments, which contaminated the environment, and its use also contributed to littering from building sites, he said.
Recommendations in the report included:
- Reducing EPS use in certain construction applications, particularly where safer, more sustainable alternatives exist.
- Imposing fines for littering, improper disposal or mismanagement of EPS on construction sites
- Increased education about alternatives to EPS in construction, such as biodegradable or recyclable materials, is essential to reducing reliance on EPS.
Roberts said there were safer alternatives available that builders could use instead, such as corrugated cardboard, cellulose, plant based, or starch foams and pops, or plastic.
"The current regulations addressing plastic pollution in New Zealand, such as bans on microbeads and phased restrictions on single-use plastics, don't address EPS's unique risks."
"We need the government, industries, and the public to support the move towards using materials that can be reused, recycled or are more sustainable," he said.
Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
