Queenslanders encouraged to tackle plastic pollution together on Earth Day

Published Sunday, 22 April, 2018 at 10:30 AM

Minister for Environment and the Great Barrier Reef, Minister for Science and Minister for the Arts
The Honourable Leeanne Enoch

The Palaszczuk Government is encouraging the community to reconsider the number of everyday single-use plastic items they use to help reduce plastic pollution in recognition of Earth Day today.

Countries all over the world are banning single-use plastic items and Minister for the Environment Leeanne Enoch said it was important that Queenslanders joined in this global movement.

“The theme of Earth Day is to end plastic pollution,” Ms Enoch said.

“Plastic items made up around 38 per cent of the rubbish collected at last year’s Clean Up Australia Day event and around 75 per cent of the marine debris which is collected along Queensland’s coastline.

“Together we can tackle plastic pollution. We can all make a difference by reducing the number of everyday single-use plastic items we buy and use.”

Ms Enoch said the plastic bag ban, which takes effect on July 1, and the container refund scheme, which comes into effect on November 1, will help reduce plastic usage and pollution in Queensland.

“Close to one billion plastic shopping bags are used by Queenslanders each year and while the majority of these bags end up in landfill, around 16 million plastic shopping bags enter the environment.

“From 1 July, retailers across Queensland will no longer be able to supply single-use lightweight shopping bags under 35 microns in thickness,” she said.

“Under our industry administered container refund scheme, Queenslanders will receive a 10-cent refund when they take their eligible beverage containers to a container refund point.

“Alternatively, people will be able to donate their 10-cent refund to a charity or community group.

“We are working on delivering a convenient and accessible scheme for Queenslanders to ensure that there are a number of different ways for people to either donate their containers or keep the 10-cent refund for themselves.”

For more information about the plastic bag ban and container refund scheme visit the Queensland Government website at https://www.qld.gov.au/environment/pollution/management/waste.

More information on Earth Day can be found at https://www.earthday.org/.

 

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