WELLINGTON, Oct. 29 (Xinhua) -- New Zealand has joined an international pledge to cut plastic wastes from the economy and environment, Associate Environment Minister Eugenie Sage said on Monday.
The New Plastics Economy Global Commitment sees the countries involved commit to a "circular economy" approach to plastics, preventing them from becoming waste and ensuring they do not end up in the environment, Sage said in a statement.
Led by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, in collaboration with the United Nations Environment Program, the global commitment brings together governments, businesses and NGOs around the world to address the root causes of plastic waste and pollution, by looking at the whole system of how plastic is imported, produced and used. It was officially unveiled at the Our Ocean Conference in Bali on Monday.
"New Zealanders are calling for bold and decisive action on plastic waste, which is polluting our oceans and land and harming wildlife," Sage said.
The recent consultation on single-use plastic bags was a significant step forward, she said, adding the New Zealand Plastic Packaging Declaration, where 15 local and multi-national companies have pledged to use reusable, recyclable or compostable packaging in their New Zealand operations by 2025 or earlier is another useful initiative.
"We're heading in the right direction, but we need to look at the whole plastic system in New Zealand and join other countries in adopting a true sustainable economy approach," Sage said.
The commitment aims to eradicate plastic waste and pollution at the source and has been signed by 250 organizations including many of the world's largest packaging producers, brands, retailers and recyclers, as well as governments and NGOs.
