New Zealands government has announced a country-wide ban on all lightweight,single-employ plastic bags in an attempt to reduce the amount of plastic pollution making its way into the surrounding marine environment, reports The Guardian.
Retailers in the country are given six months to stop providing plastic bags to customers or they will face a fine of NZ$100000 (roughly US$66000).
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern stressed the importance of taking action on the issue.“We’re phasing out single-employ plastic bags so we can better look after our environment and safeguard New Zealand’s clean, and green reputation. Every year in New Zealand we employ hundreds of millions of single-employ plastic bags. A mountain of bags,many of which finish up polluting our precious coastal and marine environments and cause serious harm to all kinds of marine life, and all of this when there are viable alternatives for consumers and trade.”Click here to continue and read more...
Source: inquisitr.com