Ban on more problematic plastics begins on 1 July
As of 1 July 2023, further single-use plastic products are banned in Aotearoa New Zealand.
Latest products to be banned
- Single-use plastic produce bags
- Single-use plastic straws
- Single-use plastic tableware including plates and cutlery.
Also, plastic produce labels will begin to be phased out.
Bans part of a three-step process
The latest bans are part of a three-step process to remove some of the most problematic plastics in Aotearoa New Zealand over the next three years.
Each year, every New Zealander sends on average 60 kilograms of plastic waste to landfills. As a result, plastics are polluting our oceans, landfills and ecosystems. Only 5 per cent of soft plastics are recycled in Aotearoa New Zealand each year.
With the latest bans 150 million plastic produce bags will be removed from circulation each year. That is 17,000 bags every hour of every day.
The next round of bans of single-use plastic products will be in mid-2025. All PVC and polystyrene food and drink packaging will be banned.
Find out more about the latest bans
Read more on the three-step phase-out of problematic plastic products