Govt Admits No Robust Data on Single-Use Plastic Bag Ban
Monday, 24 September 2018, 10:46 am Press Release: ACT New Zealand
“The Government admits it has no idea what effect a ban on
single-use plastic bags will have on New Zealand’s
waterways and coastal environments,” says ACT Leader David
Seymour.
Environment Associate Minister Eugenie
Sage confirmed in response to a written parliamentary
question from Mr Seymour that “robust data is not
available on the proportion of single-use plastic shopping
bags used by New Zealanders, which end up in waterways.”
“The Government has decided to punish all New
Zealanders who find single-use plastic bags convenient and
dispose of them responsibly without any evidence to suggest
these bags are the major cause of pollution to New
Zealand’s coastal and marine environments," says Mr
Seymour.
“It’s shocking that the Government
would force all New Zealanders to change their shopping
habits without proof that they’re causing a problem.
“Just like the ban on oil and gas, the
virtue-signalling Green Party have put no thought into the
effects of their feel-good policies.
“The Green
Party’s ban will end up producing worse environmental
outcomes as supermarkets replace single-use bags with
heavier plastic alternatives.
“It’s a classic
case of good intentions and tragic
consequences.”
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