Petition to help stop products going to landfill

Each year we throw away 97,000 tonnes of e-waste, which equates to enough toasters to fill Eden Park and the Sky Tower.

New Zealand is the only country in the OECD without e-waste regulations.

“Although New Zealand’s e-waste volume is shameful, it’s not entirely our fault,” said Abby Damen, campaigns adviser at Consumer.

"Our laws allow the sale of products that can't be repaired."

Consumer is urging people to sign its petition and call on the government to introduce a repairability label – so when you buy something you know how long it will last, and how repairable it is. In the same way that Energy Ratings tell people how efficient a product is to use, a repairability label would tell you how easy it is to repair.

“When we hit 20,000 signatures, we are going to head to Parliament to hand our petition over to MPs. The more people who join our call, the harder it is to ignore,” says Damen.

Time for legislative change

In April, Hon Marama Davidson’s Consumer Guarantees (Right to Repair) Amendment Bill was drawn from the ballot.

If passed, the bill would give consumers the right to repair their products by requiring manufacturers to make spare parts available to consumers for a reasonable period of time.

The bill also:

• requires manufacturers to promptly provide, on request, the information, spare parts and tools required to keep items in working order
• allows consumers to request a repair rather than a replacement and requires repairs are done in a reasonable time.

“We are hopeful that MPs take time to really consider the benefits this bill offers to our planet and our pockets.

“Having these provisions in place would make a big difference to the quality and longevity of products available on our shelves. Right now, New Zealand is a magnet for poor quality appliances and electronics.

“We regularly hear people reminiscing fondly about products from the good old days, and that’s for a good reason. Things used to be built to last and could be passed on from person to person. We need to go back to that.”

According to Consumer, if this bill is passed it would be a great first step in the right to repair movement.

“As far as we’re concerned it’s a no brainer, why would anyone deny people the right to affordably repair their products?