Wool snub 'slap in the face' to NZ farmers

"This decision completely flies in the face of all the Government’s rhetoric about improving sustainability, protecting the planet, and phasing out single-use and hard-to-recycle plastics."

A decision to carpet rural schools in foreign-made synthetic carpets has fired up farmers.

The Government’s decision to carpet rural schools in foreign-made synthetic carpets instead of New Zealand-grown wool has been described as a slap in the face for Kiwi farmers.

US company Milliken has just been given millions of New Zealand taxpayer dollars to lay carpet in nearly 800 of our schools.

Milliken won the $8m contract from the Ministry of Education. Its solution-dyed-nylon carpet squares - which are plastic and made from fossil fuels - will soon be installed under the feet and bums of Kiwi kids. 

The ministry said the American-made carpet tiles are simply better.

“The product we selected was substantially cheaper and not only that, but it had far greater durability meaning that actually the whole of life value of this product was higher," said Ministry of Education head of property Sam Fowler.

However, it has prompted outrage from the farming sector.

Federated Farmers Meat & Wool Chair Toby Williams said it was “absolutely ridiculous” that the Government has chosen to install petroleum-based synthetic carpets in New Zealand classrooms instead of using a sustainable natural alternative such as wool.

"This decision completely flies in the face of all the Government’s rhetoric about improving sustainability, protecting the planet, and phasing out single-use and hard-to-recycle plastics.

"Just this week they’ve been patting themselves on the back for banning plastic bags, cutlery, straws, and fruit stickers - then they turn around and make a decision like this? It just doesn’t add up.

"To carpet the average Kiwi home in synthetic carpet is the equivalent of having 22,000 plastic bags on the floor.

"What do they think happens with all those nylon carpets when people are done with them? They go straight to landfill.

"The Ministry for Education say they chose to go with synthetic carpets because they presented better ‘value’. I’d question who for - because it’s certainly not the environment or our rural communities.

"It’s time for the Government to start backing our Kiwi sheep farmers. They need to stop carpeting our country in pine trees, and start carpeting our classrooms in sustainable products," Williams said.