BAN PLASTIC WASTE EXPORTS

There is a dirty secret to the plastics crisis.  Over half of the world’s plastic rubbish is dumped onto developing nations like Malaysia. We’re literally exporting our problems for someone else to deal with.

But there is no such place as “away” for plastic. Accordinging to a Greenpeace investigation in Southeast Asia, plastics labelled as “recyclable” were found getting dumped or illegally burned - poisoning the air and water for local communities in Malaysia.

New Zealand is part of this problem, shipping 41,000 tonnes of plastic waste overseas per year.

The hard truth is we cannot recycle our way out of this mess. Only 9% of plastics ever produced have been recycled. Twelve percent is burned into our atmosphere and all remaining plastic waste (79%) ends up in landfills or the environment - choking whales, dolphins and seabirds in our oceans.

This has to stop.

It’s time our Government face reality: we can’t keep believing that a broken recycling system will fix the plastics crisis.

The Government should ban the export of plastic waste overseas and adopt a national strategy to dramatically cut single-use plastic at home. Companies must be held to account for the plastic mess they are creating.

 By signing this petition, you're joining the movement and national call for a ‘Plastic-Free NZ’. Learn more about the Plastic Free NZ plan here.