New Zealand has vowed to ban single-use plastics and some unnecessary "problem plastics" by July 2025 as it attempts to further green causes and live up to its reputation as a "clean green" country.
New Zealand previously instigated a ban on a number of single-use plastics in 2019, which was met with warm public reception. Credit: Karolina Grabowska / Pexels
Items such as cotton buds, cutlery, straws, plastic bags, labels as well as polystyrene packaging will be slowly phased out over a period of three years starting from July 2022.
The nation is still one of the top ten countries in the world by landfill volume as it looks to tackle the issue of mounting plastic waste once and for all.
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Alongside the new ban will be initiatives to conduct research into finding viable plastic alternatives. Existing alternatives still in need of refining or mass-production include plastic-eating enzymes or renewable polymers.
Environment Minister David Parker revealed the ban has been delayed long enough to meet public demand for plastic bans while allowing enough time for companies to seek viable alternatives.
He said: “We’re encouraging businesses and people to find reusable options. We know alternatives are readily available including recyclable plastic or paper-based containers.
“Phasing out unnecessary and problematic plastics will help reduce waste to landfill, improve our recycling system and encourage reusable or environmentally responsible alternatives.
“We estimate this new policy will remove more than two billion single-use plastic items from our landfills or environment each year.”
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New Zealanders throw away an estimated 159 grams of plastic waste per person per day, according to the government.
The government already instigated a ban on most single-use plastic back in 2019, with the new changes specifically targetting packaging and a range of everyday goods, which was warmly received by the public.
Parker reports the ban has meant one billion fewer plastic bags have ended up in landfills or the ocean, but there is still more the country can do for its green footprint.
He has launched the NZ$50 million (€29.5 million) Plastics Innovation Fund to help support projects that reimagine how we make, use and dispose of plastics.
Plastic waste poses a particular threat to marine life, which is particularly important to island nations such as New Zealand.
Parker said: “Plastic waste ruins our landscape and can be fatal to our marine life. It has been found in our fish, shellfish and seabirds.
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“We need to back New Zealanders to innovate, find solutions and then scale them up. The fund will help tap into our collective ingenuity to find ways to use less plastic, and make what we do use recyclable for the benefit of the environment – while also boosting jobs and supporting the economic recovery."
The government hopes to continue the discussion towards eliminating plastic pollution at next year's UN Environmental Assembly.
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