4 July 2017

Porirua Mayor calls for plastic bag levy

Porirua Mayor Mike Tana is one of 42 New Zealand mayors calling on central government to impose a compulsory charge on plastic bags and is encouraging the Porirua community to get behind the issue.

Mayor Tana has signed an open letter to Associate Environment Minister Scott Simpson, asking for a mandatory charge on single-use bags. The letter, launched by the mayors of Wellington, Auckland and Dunedin, has been circulating through local government and is now supported by 63 per cent of the nation’s mayors, with numbers rising daily.

Three of the country’s 11 regional council chairs have also recently signed.

Mayor Tana says action is needed to reduce the amount of plastic in the environment.

“Our people are telling us that this is an issue that’s important to them so as well as backing this campaign myself, I’m encouraging the community to get involved,” he says.

“A petition started by Samuel Marsden Collegiate students now has nearly 12,000 signatures, and this is an easy way for people to add their voice to the message the mayors are sending to central government.”

The petition can be found at https://www.change.org/p/new-zealand-parliament-phase-out-plastic-bags-nz

Yesterday was International Plastic Bag Free Day and there’s also a Plastic Free July challenge where people are encouraged to avoid any single-use plastic products this month.

“There are lots of ways to get behind this issue. It’s all about changing our thinking and our habits.” Mayor Tana says.

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