Greenpeace urging Government to go all the way on plastic bags.

Advisory: Greenpeace to give evidence to Environment Select Committee

Greenpeace will call for a comprehensive ban on plastic bags when it gives evidence to the Environment Select Committee this Thursday, 12 April.

It follows a petition from 65,000 New Zealanders accepted by Associate Environment Minister Eugenie Sage earlier this year.

The written submission makes a case that regulation is needed to put in place a full ban to deal with the scourge of single use plastic pollution in our oceans.

Greenpeace is advocating that the Coalition Government regulate to ban all retailers from giving away or selling plastic carryout bags that are not designed for at least 125 uses.

"There is already great momentum with major supermarket retailers including Countdown instituting and supporting bag bans," says senior campaigner Steve Abel.

While the Government has said it is tossing up between a levy or a ban, Greenpeace says any levy would be a half measure that would leave potentially millions of plastic bags still in use.

"Single use plastic bags are contributing to the devastating impact that plastics are having on marine life, such as turtles which mistake them for food. These bags are not necessary. What is urgently needed is that we cut single use plastics for the sake of our oceans, our own health, and future generations"

Greenpeace will give an oral submission to the Environment Select Committee in Parliament at 9:15am on Thursday 12 April.

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