The Government will phase out more single-use plastics following the success of its single-use plastic bag ban earlier this year and the release today of a pivotal report for dealing with waste.

The Government today released the next phase of its plan to tackle New Zealand’s mounting waste challenges. Associate Minister for the Environment Eugenie Sage released proposals to increase funding support for councils, community organisations and businesses for projects to recover and recycle more materials and reduce the amount of waste going to landfill.

We love New Zealand and we love our beaches, our oceans, and our waterways. That’s why we’re committed to protecting them from pollution. By 2050, oceans will carry more plastic mass than fish, and an estimated 99 per cent of seabirds will have ingested plastic. Because Kiwis love the beach and most of us live close to the ocean, we increase the risk of single use plastics ending up in the marine environment, even by mistake. Our plan will introduce...