Single-use plastic shopping bags are banned in New Zealand from today. File photo / Reuters

New Zealand officially banned single-use plastic shopping bags on Monday, introducing hefty fines for businesses that continue to provide them.

Plastic pollution has become a growing global concern, with a million birds and more than 100,000 marine mammals injured or killed every year by becoming entangled in packaging or ingesting it through the food chain.

Companies that break New Zealand’s ban will face heavy penalties, including fines of up to NZ$100,000 ($67,000).

“New Zealanders are proud of our country’s clean, green reputation and want to help ensure we live up to it,” Environment Minister Eugenie Sage said.

“Ending the use of single-use plastic shopping bags helps do that.”

Under the new rules, thin plastic single-use shopping bags can no longer be supplied — but the law allows reusable carriers to continue being provided.

The legislation — which was announced in August last year and came into force on Monday — will have little practical effect, as New Zealand’s major supermarkets have already voluntarily banned the bags.

However, Sage said it was putting the issue of recycling on the agenda.

“(The ban) doesn’t go far enough, but what is really great is it’s started the conversation,” she told Radio New Zealand.

“People are now talking about single-use plastics and how we can phase them out.”

More than 80 countries have already introduced similar bans, according to the UN Environment Programme.

Agence France-Presse </s> Draconian new powers outlawing single-use plastic bags come into force in New Zealand on Monday with retailers facing a fine of up to £52,000 (NZ$100,000) if they hand them to customers.

The ban encompasses not only lightweight plastic bags, but also thicker versions handed out by department stores and even "environmentally friendly" biodegradable and compostable options. However, it will be left to shoppers themselves to police the law and report offenders.

Underpinning the ban is the determination of the government in Wellington to cut the amount of plastic ending up in rivers and oceans in order to minimise the threat faced by vulnerable seabirds, fish and other marine mammals.

Plastic bags are now outlawed in more than 40 countries.

The New Zealand ban was announced by Jacinda Ardern, the country's Prime Minister, last year. "Every year in New Zealand we use hundreds of millions of single-use plastic bags," she said. </s> New Zealand officially banned single-use plastic shopping bags Monday, introducing hefty fines for businesses that continue to provide them

Wellington, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - APP - 1st Jul, 2019 ) :New Zealand officially banned single-use plastic shopping bags Monday, introducing hefty fines for businesses that continue to provide them.

Plastic pollution has become a growing global concern, with a million birds and more than 100,000 marine mammals injured or killed every year by becoming entangled in packaging or ingesting it through the food chain.

Companies that break New Zealand's ban will face heavy penalties, including fines of up to NZ$100,000 ($67,000).

"New Zealanders are proud of our country's clean, green reputation and want to help ensure we live up to it," environment minister Eugenie Sage said.

"Ending the use of single-use plastic shopping bags helps do that." Under the new rules, thin plastic single-use shopping bags can no longer be supplied -- but the law allows reusable carriers to continue being provided.

The legislation -- which was announced in August last year and came into force on Monday -- will have little practical effect, as New Zealand's major supermarkets have already voluntarily banned the bags.

However, Sage said it was putting the issue of recycling on the agenda.

"(The ban) doesn't go far enough, but what is really great is it's started the conversation," she told Radio New Zealand.

"People are now talking about single-use plastics and how we can phase them out." Britain's Royal Statistical Society estimates 90.5 percent of all plastic waste -- some 6,300 million metric tons -- has never been recycled and is either in landfill or accumulating in the natural environment.

If current production and waste management trends continue, the ocean of plastic waste is estimated to almost double to 12,000 million metric tons by 2050.

More than 80 countries have already introduced bag bans similar to New Zealand's, according to the UN Environment Programme.

While it praised such initiatives, it said more needed to be done to minimise other sources of plastic waste including microbeads and single-use items such as straws.

Canada last month announced plans to ban disposable plastic items such as straws, cutlery and stir sticks from 2021.

The Pacific nation of Vanuatu will implement a ban in December on disposable diapers, which not only have non-biodegradable plastic linings but also use chemical absorbents which leach into the environment.

Sage said the New Zealand government was committing NZ$40 million ($27 million) to find ways to reuse plastic waste instead of sending it to landfill overseas.

"We have been sending our waste offshore for too long," she said.

"China and other countries refusing to take our waste is the wake-up call we need."The issue of wealthy developed nations using poorer countries as trash dumps was highlighted this week when Canada had to accept back tonnes of rubbish it shipped to the Philippines years ago.

For years, China received the bulk of scrap plastic from around the world, but closed its doors to foreign refuse last year in an effort to clean up its environment. </s> New Zealand officially banned single-use plastic shopping bags Monday, introducing hefty fines for businesses that continue to provide them. Plastic pollution has become a growing global concern, with a million birds and more than 100,000 marine mammals injured or killed every year by becoming entangled in packaging or ingesting it through the food chain. Companies that break New Zealand's ban will face heavy penalties, including fines of up to NZ$100,000 ($67,000).

"New Zealanders are proud of our country's clean, green reputation and want to help ensure we live up to it," Environment Minister Eugenie Sage said. "Ending the use of single-use plastic shopping bags helps to do that." Under the new rules, thin plastic single-use shopping bags can no longer be supplied - but the law allows reusable carriers to continue being provided. The legislation, which was announced in August last year and came into force on Monday, will have little practical effect, as New Zealand's major supermarkets have already voluntarily banned the bags. However, Sage said it was putting the issue of recycling on the agenda. "(The ban) doesn't go far enough, but what is really great is it's started the conversation," she told Radio New Zealand. "People are now talking about single-use plastics and how we can phase them out."

More than 80 countries have already introduced similar bans, according to the U.N. Environment Program. Earlier this year, Turkey took a big step to stop plastic waste and began selling plastic bags for a fee. Within the first three months of the regulation, Turkey managed to decrease 80 percent of the plastic bag use. An estimated 5 trillion plastic bags are used worldwide every year and they mainly contribute to maritime pollution as some 8 million tons of plastic, including bags are dumped into the ocean every year, killing marine life and entering the human food chain, according to a United Nations report on the issue. </s> WELLINGTON (XINHUA) - Single-use plastic bags are officially banned for all New Zealand retailers from Monday (July 1).

As stipulated by the Waste Minimisation (Plastic Shopping Bags) Regulations 2018, which came into force on Monday, New Zealand retailers including stores, supermarkets and restaurants will no longer be able to sell or distribute any single-use plastic shopping bags.

Single-use plastic shopping bags are defined as any plastic bag which has handles and is less than 70 microns thick. Plastic shopping bags in the fruit and vegetable section and other areas of supermarkets are the only exceptions.

New Zealand Associate Environment Minister Eugenie Sage said that the ban on single-use plastic shopping bags is a step towards healthier oceans and giving nature a hand.

"New Zealanders are proud of our country's clean, green reputation and want to help ensure we live up to it. The plastic shopping bag ban is one step to tackle New Zealand's waste issues. We also need to recharge our materials recovery and recycling systems and shift to a circular economy," Ms Sage said.

Mainstream supermarkets have already made the change away from single-use plastic shopping bags. Businesses were given six months ahead of the ban to phase-out single-use plastic bags. </s> New Zealand is joining a growing number of countries banning single-use plastic shopping bags.

"The ban should ensure less plastic ends up in rivers, streams, stormwater systems and the ocean so seabirds, fish, turtles, and marine mammals are less vulnerable to being harmed by it," Associate Environment Minister Eugenie Sage said in a statement on Sunday.

The new regulations that come into force on Monday apply to any type of plastic less than 70 microns in thickness, that's new or un-used, has carry handles and is provided for carrying sold goods.

It also includes bags that are made from bio-based materials like starch, and made of plastics that are degradable, biodegradable or oxo-degradable.

Mainstream supermarkets have already switched from single-use plastic shopping bags since Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced the legislation last August.

More than 100 jurisdictions, including Belgium, France, Italy, China have already implemented an outright ban on single-use plastic bags, while others have introduced a levy or charge. </s> Time is up for the single-use plastic shopping bag, with the Government implementing a ban on Monday.

Associate Environment Minister Eugenie Sage says ending their use is a step towards "healthier oceans and giving nature a hand".
• Why your reusable shopping bag isn't better than a single-use plastic one
• Banning plastic bags may be good PR, but are we actually helping the environment?

"New regulations mean such businesses can no longer provide their customers with a single-use plastic shopping bag to carry their purchases," she said on Sunday.

"The ban should ensure less plastic ends up in rivers, streams, stormwater systems and the ocean so seabirds, fish, turtles, and marine mammals are less vulnerable to being harmed by it."

Businesses were given six months before the ban to phase-out single-use plastic bags. Sage says the Ministry for the Environment (MfE) will be conducting "random retail precinct audits" to assess levels of compliance.

"The Government does not have prosecution targets or a goal to prosecute retailers.

"If MfE end up needing to prosecute, they will - although they don't want to get to that point. If a prosecution is successful, the court is able to determine a financial penalty."

According to Sage, New Zealanders appear to have already made a rapid transition to reusable bags.

Survey research done for MfE shows an increase from 56 percent in April 2018 to 91 percent in September 2018 in the number of shoppers bringing their own reusable bag.

"Government regulations and the sum of many individual actions make a difference," Sage says.

"New Zealanders remembering to take their reusable bags is stopping tens of millions of single plastic bags becoming waste each year." </s> July 1 (UPI) -- New Zealand on Monday became the latest nation to ban outright the distribution of plastic bags at retailers, like grocery stores.

The ban, announced nearly a year ago, took effect Monday.

Associate Environment Minister Eugenie Sage said the ban will reduce plastic into oceans, rivers, storm water systems and landfills, and will better protect marine wildlife.

"New Zealanders are proud of our country's clean, green reputation and want to help ensure we live up to it," Sage said. "Ending the use of single-use plastic shopping bags helps do that."

The environmental ministry says the ban affects bags made of any type of plastic under 70 microns in thickness, either new or unused and with handles. The banned bags cannot be given away or sold to customers.

Pet waste bags, bin liners and bags without handles used for perishable items are exempted from the ban.

Some, however, question how much difference the new law will make.

"These bags will go to the ocean," store owner Harjit Singh said of the exempted bags for pre-packaged items. "If they wanted to stop plastic it should be all the packaging."

Several municipalities worldwide have implemented or will implement similar bans -- including New York City, which will ban plastic bags next spring. </s> Chile becomes first Latin America country to ban commercial use of plastic bags

Chile becomes first Latin America country to ban commercial use of plastic bags

Chile has joined a growing number of countries to ban the commercial use of plastic bags.

It became the first country in Latin America to enact the new law on Friday.

"I want to share with you the joy that as of today we're enacting the law," said President Sebastian Pinera at a public ceremony in Santiago.

He later handed out cloth bags to passers-by.

It comes after Mumbai became the largest Indian city to ban single-use plastics in June.

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Residents in the Indian city caught using plastic bags, cups or bottle could face penalties of up to 25,000 rupees (£250) and three months in jail.

Image: A seagull covered by a plastic bag at Caleta Portales beach in Valparaiso, Chile

In Chile, large businesses have six months to phase out the use of plastic bags.

Smaller ones will be given two years to adapt to the new rules.

It means that any form of plastic bag other than those constituting primary packaging "necessary for hygiene or to prevent food wastage" are prohibited.

Those who disobey the new law will be subject to a 370 peso (44p) fine in a country where $800 (96p) is the minimum wage.

"Without a doubt we're taking a giant step towards a cleaner Chile," added Mr Pinera.

Companies will be limited to handing out a maximum of two plastic bags per transaction in the meantime.

Taiwan, Zimbabwe, Australia and the UK are some of the other countries to ban plastic bags.

From August last year, anyone in Kenya found using, producing, or selling plastic bags could face four years in jail.

:: Sky's Ocean Rescue campaign encourages people to reduce their single-use plastics. You can find out more about the campaign and how to get involved at www.skyoceanrescue.com
A ban on single-use plastic shopping bags comes into force in New Zealand. Businesses that break the ban will face fines of up to $100,000NZD.