New Zealand’s ban on plastic bags, which prohibits the use of thin, single-use bags but permits provision of reusable carriers, came into effect on 1 July. The move was welcomed by environmental groups and campaigners who have long campaigned for a ban. Companies that break the ban could face fines of up to NZD100,000 ($67,000). However, the legislation is expected to have little practical impact as the country’s major supermarkets have already outlawed the bags voluntarily. “We have been sending our waste offshore for too long,” she said. The New Zealand government is also pledging NZ40m to explore ways of reusing plastic waste, rather than sending it overseas to landfill.
New Zealand’s ban on plastic bags, which prohibits the use of thin, single-use bags but permits provision of reusable carriers, came into effect on 1 July. The move was welcomed by environmental groups and campaigners who have long campaigned for a ban. Companies that break the ban could face fines of up to NZD100,000 ($67,000). However, the legislation is expected to have little practical impact as the country’s major supermarkets have already outlawed the bags voluntarily. The New Zealand government is also pledging NZ40m to explore ways of reusing plastic waste, rather than sending it overseas to landfill.