The new ban will also affect plastic straws and cutlery, as the government expands the campaign against single-use plastics that began in 2019, when it banned bags in which shoppers took their purchases home. Today most use their own reusable bags.
Authorities estimate that, on average, each New Zealander sends more than three-quarters of a ton of rubbish to landfill each year.
“New Zealand produces too much rubbish, too much plastic waste,” said Deputy Environment Minister Rachel Brooking.
According to the minister, the 2019 ban prevented the use of more than 1 billion plastic bags in the country, and the new measure will mean a further reduction of 150 million bags per year.
Authorities investigated concerns that the initiative might not do much for the environment if consumers opt for paper bags for fruits and vegetables.
“The answer continued to be yes, it’s still worth doing, but we really want to reduce the use of single-use packaging,” Brooking said. “So we want people to bring their own bags, and supermarkets are selling reusable bags.”
Brooking indicated that the focus is on educating the population, but the authorities may impose fines on businesses that decide to break the rules.
Critics have cast doubt on the progressive government’s environmental record, pointing out that overall greenhouse gas emissions have not declined since the government symbolically declared a climate emergency in 2020.
FUENTE: Associated Press
