Thin plastic bags used to pack fruit and vegetables will be banned in New Zealand from tomorrow. The Government says it’s the first country in the world to do so.
The changes also include a ban on plastic produce labels, such as stickers on fruit, as part of a suite of reforms aimed at limiting single-use plastics.
Further details:
The changes ban four types of plastics across New Zealand:
- Single-use plastic produce bags
- Single-use plastic straws
- Single-use plastic tableware (such as plates and cutlery)
- Plastic produce labels
Legislation for the plastic bans was signed off in New Zealand last year.
The ban on plastic straws will not apply to people with some health conditions, or providers selling straws to anyone in that category.
Other plastic bans in New Zealand:
These reforms mark the second of a three-stage phase-out of plastics in New Zealand.
Some polystyrene food and drink packaging was banned in October 2022, along with plastic drink stirrers and stemmed cotton buds were also outlawed.
The phase-three bans will take effect in the middle of 2025. This will stop all remaining polystyrene food and drink packaging, along with polyvinyl chloride (PVC) packaging, from being sold.
