New Zealand to Phase Out Single-Use Plastics Before July 2025

SEATTLE (Scrap Monster): The New Zealand government announced its decision to phase out a wide range of single-use plastic items in a phased manner. It will be implemented in three stages between late next year and July 2025.  

The action will cover single-use plastic items such as plates, bags, cotton buds, drinking straws, fruit labels and certain polystyrene products. The country plans to ban use of hard-to-recycle food and drink packaging made from PVC and polystyrene, as well as some degradable plastic products.

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According to Environment Minister David Parker, the businesses in the country have already been ordered to seek alternatives. Businesses as well as consumers are being encouraged to switch to reusable options. He noted that alternatives such as recyclable plastic or paper-based containers are readily available. The government will launch a new fund to help efforts seeking alternatives to plastics, he added.

The implementation of the ban is expected to prevent approximately 2 billion single-use plastic items from ending up in landfills or environment every year. In addition to phasing out problematic plastic, the ban will significantly improve the country’s recycling system and boost the use of environment-friendly alternatives.

As per rough estimates, New Zealanders throw away around an average of 159 grams of plastic waste per day.