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22/12/2025
Peter Campbell
[FYI request #33138 email]
Tēnā koe Peter
OIA: GEMS-46183 – Food Packaging at Schools
Thank you for your email of 4 December 2025 to the Ministry of Education (the Ministry) requesting
the following information:
1. Please advise does the Ministry have any policies on packaging for ANY school
lunches / tuck shops around micro plastics or PFAS?
2. Do any schools use packaging that contains PFAS or other harmful chemicals?
Your request has been considered under the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act), and numbered
for the purposes of responding.
In response to
part one of your request, as part of the Ministry’s contracts with lunch suppliers
under the Ka Ora, Ka Ako | Healthy School Lunches programme, suppliers are required to use
reusable or environmentally sustainable packaging wherever possible and minimise food
packaging, plastic food wrap, and single use cutlery and tableware. There are some guidelines
around packaging available on the programme’s website at kaorakaako.education.govt.nz/working-
together/waste-minimisation/choosing-ka-ora-ka-ako-lunch-packaging.
Further information regarding sustainability, waste and surplus management can be found here:
https://kaorakaako.education.govt.nz/working-together/waste-minimisation. This includes
information on the all-of-Government approach to Per- and Poly-Fluorinated Alkly Substances
(PFAS).
In addition, the service agreements with school lunch providers set out the Ministry’s expectations
around packaging, and can be found here: https://kaorakaako.education.govt.nz/working-
together/about-ka-ora-ka-ako/agreement-overview#deliverables-and-service-levels-between-the-
supplier-and-the-school-kura
Sustainability remains a priority for the Ministry for the school lunches programme, and
sustainability targets have not changed with the introduction of the alternative provision model. All
providers continue to use reusable, recyclable or certified compostable materials wherever
possible, and minimise the use of non-recyclable packaging and single-use items. We have
Wellington National Office, 1 The Terrace, Levels 5 to 14, Wellington 6011
PO Box 1666, Wellington 6140, DX SR51201 Phone: +64 4 463 8000
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strengthened the wording in all provider agreements around packaging and waste so that they are
clear as to the Ministry’s expectations.
As regards
part two of your request in terms of food packaging and waste management outside of
the Ka Ora, Ka Ako | Healthy School Lunches programme, schools are self-governing under the
Education and Training Act 2020, so school boards are responsible for setting their own policies
and procedures for operational matters. The principal oversees the day-to-day management of the
school and follows the direction of the board to make sure the school’s goals are met. As such, I
am refusing this part of your request under section 18(g) of the Act, as the Ministry does not hold
the aggregate information requested, and I have no grounds for believing that it is either held by, or
more closely related to the functions of, another department or organisation subject to the Act.
Please note, we may publish this response on our website after five working days. Your name and
contact details will be removed.
Thank you again for your email. You have the right to ask an Ombudsman to review my decision
on your request, in accordance with section 28 of the Act. You can do this by writing to
[email address] or to Office of the Ombudsman, PO Box 10152, Wellington 6143.
Nāku noa, nā
Lynda Pura-Watson
General Manager, Ākonga and Community Outcomes
Te Mahau | Te Pae Aronui (Operations and Integration)
OIA: GEMS-46183
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