More plastic exports urged

Press, 17 September 1976, Page 10

More plastic exports urged

New Zealand’s plastic industry should aim at exporting about 20 per cent of its production, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of Trade and Industry (Mr Allen) said in Christchurch.

Addressing the annual meeting of the South Island branch of the New Zealand Plastics Institute, he said the industry in New Zealand, which spent ssom on im-

ported materials, would have to try harder to reach this percentage. . For the year which ended in June, it was estimated that plastics exports would amount to S7M, while indirect exports—such as packaging and plastic parts in other products, could amount to another S9M.

Mr Allen said the 20 per cent increase was the amount New Zealand needed from its plastics industry to counter import needs, if the country was to have a balanced economy. The greatest potential for export gains, he suggested, appeared to be Australia and Pacific markets such as Fiji, Hong Kong and Singapore. Co-operation with Australia and rationalisation between the industries of both countries could also help growth, he said. Mr Allen added that the Government would like to see more use being made of the N.A.F.-T.A. as a development tool. Mr Allen suggested plastic scrap was becoming a valuable recyclable resource.

Even when the trading position improved, recycling existing resources — plastic, paper, and glass—would be imperative. Earlier this year the Trade and Industry Department, through a circulated questionnaire, discovered that enough plastic scrap was being dumped to justify research into alternative outlets. Many New Zealand manufacturers, he said, were wary of using recycled scrap. Because of the questionnaire, which only half of the industry responded to, a joint committee had been set up between the Plastics Institute, the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research and the Department of Trade and Industry. Mr Allen said it would look at standards for plastic products, to see if more reclaimed material could be used; markets for recycled plastic and products containing recycled plastic; the technology of plastics recycling; and the burning of waste plastic for fuel. The waste generated by

four major types of plastic at 2900 tons, “at say, 60 at 2900 tons,” at say, 60 cents a kilo,” Mr Allen said. “While I think it commendable that of this waste plastic, about 2250 tonnes is currently recycled, it never- : the less leaves 650 tonnes to be dumped, at 60 cents a kilo, whicn is ec,ual to a loss ■of $360,000 in overseas exchange each year,” he said. Closely allied to the less extravagant use of materials and energy was environ- ■ mental nrotection, Mr Allen said. He said that environmental issues would influence the direction of national development, while investment costs of plastic production would very like'v be increased by the expense of Controlling pollution. Mr Allen said the plastics industry was making a significant economic contribution to the country. Over the last 10 years it had grown from 95 units to more than ■ 256. The labour force had increased four-fold, while the value of output was now about SIBOM.