According to news published by “News Services Division of All India Radio“, regulations for mandatory phase-out of single-use plastic shopping bags will take effect from July 1, 2019, in New Zealand.
In respect to the new rules, retailers will no longer be able to sell or give away single-use plastic shopping bags from July next year after the cabinet agreed to the proposed regulations for a mandatory nationwide phase-out of these bags.
In a press conference, Prime Minister “Jacinda Ardern” said that plastic was the single biggest subject school children wrote to her about. “We’re taking meaningful steps to reduce plastics pollution so we don’t pass this problem to future generations,” she said.
New Zealand currently uses over 750 million single-use plastic bags per year, which is equivalent to about 150 bags per person. “A mountain of bags, many of which end up polluting our precious coastal and marine environments and cause serious harm to all kinds of marine life,” said Ardern.
Associate Minister for the Environment Eugenie Sage has said that plastic shopping bags are a hazard for nature, particularly marine wildlife. They can also introduce harmful microplastics into the food chain.
These regulations are an important first step to tackle New Zealand’s wider waste problem, she said, adding that manufacturers, retailers and consumers all have a responsibility to reduce waste and prevent plastic pollution.
New Zealand has recently become a signatory to the New Plastics Economy Global Commitment, a global pledge to address the root causes of plastic pollution.
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Edited by: Samaneh Marjani (New Editorial Team Contributor)
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