waste at 2.5x world average as right to repair stalls
New Zealand is facing a growing e-waste crisis, with waste levels reaching 2.5 times the global average as legislative efforts for 'right to repair' stall. Despite public support and international precedents, the country lacks comprehensive regulations to manage electronic waste and product lifespans.
Why it matters
The lack of right-to-repair legislation contributes to environmental degradation and places the financial burden of product obsolescence on consumers and local governments.
Short product lifespans are usually treated as a consumer gripe. They are better understood as a business model. A device built to a price, glued shut and unsupported by spare parts earns its margin at the till. The cost of its early death lands on households, councils and recyclers. The right-to-repair argument is about who pays that bill, and it is getting louder.
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