Around 4.5 million
lubricant
containers
are discarded
every year in
New Zealand.
The problem
Lubricant packaging is hazardous and problematic to recycle due to the residue left inside even when they’re empty. This makes the containers and drums difficult to handle and lowers their value as a useful recycled material. While a small percentage are recycled, the majority end up in landfill.
New Zealand’s leading lubricant manufacturers and distributors are working to change that.
With 3R Group as project manager, together, we’ve formed a working group to develop a Lubricant Container Product Stewardship Programme to close the loop and make drums and containers a valuable circular resource.
The problem
Lubricant packaging is hazardous and problematic to recycle due to the residue left inside even when they’re empty. This makes the containers and drums difficult to handle and lowers their value as a useful recycled material. While a small percentage are recycled, the majority end up in landfill.
New Zealand’s leading lubricant manufacturers and distributors are working to change that.
With 3R Group as project manager, together, we’ve formed a working group to develop a Lubricant Container Product Stewardship Programme to close the loop and make drums and containers a valuable circular resource.
What we aim to do
Maximise the number of lubricant containers diverted from landfill
Maximise recovery and recycling by supporting development of end use markets
Reduce the amount of virgin materials extracted, manufactured and imported into New Zealand
Transition the lubricant industry toward a Circular Economy model
Contributing to a
circular economy
Today’s linear economy of ‘take, make, waste’ is unsustainable.
Along with all other countries around the world, New Zealand
needs to develop a circular economy “where the lifecycles of
materials are maximised, usage optimised and at the end of life
all materials are reutilised” – Circular Economy Accelerator.
Contributing to a
circular
economy
Today’s linear economy of ‘take, make, waste’ is unsustainable. Along with all other countries around the world, New Zealand needs to develop a circular economy “where the lifecycles of materials are maximised, usage optimised and at the end of life all materials are reutilised”.
Creating a
circular resource
Through the project, a number of options will be considered to determine their suitability for New Zealand. These could include:
- Development of a wash plant and container reuse programme
- Evaluation of a wash plant for granulated plastics to increase commodity value and recycling options
- Consideration of the use of recycled plastic in new lubricant containers within NZ
- Alternatives to recycling, such as use in roading, waste-to-energy, etc
- Partnerships and expansions of existing solutions
- Consideration of current and alternative industry packaging types
A container recycling programme can contribute to the development of this circular economy if the collected materials have a market.
Creating a
circular
resource
Through the project, a number of options will be considered to determine their suitability for New Zealand. These could include:
- Development of a wash plant and container reuse programme
- Evaluation of a wash plant for granulated plastics to increase commodity value and recycling options
- Consideration of the use of recycled plastic in new lubricant containers within NZ
- Alternatives to recycling, such as use in roading, waste-to-energy, etc
- Partnerships and expansions of existing solutions
- Consideration of current and alternative industry packaging types