Most trying to cut down on plastic

Waste Management kerbside collector Huri Kahaki with a recycling bin featuring the new “wash, squash, lids off” stickers. File picture

A majority of people responding to this week’s Gisborne Herald web poll have been reducing plastic usage but even though it is Plastic-Free July, many are not.

Asked if they were trying to reduce their use of plastic, 60 percent, answered “yes”, with concern for the environment the main reason.

“I have been doing this for the past six years after a trip to India and seeing the plastic rubbish devastation there,” one person said.

Another respondent agreed with that sentiment.

“All plastics but particularly non-recyclable plastics need to be reduced. If you can’t recycle it then the cost must be put on the manufacturer and consumer.”

One respondent said they had been finding alternatives to plastic by using paper bags to put household rubbish in “plus covering food with lids not clingfilm”.

Another respondent said they had been researching shops that allow people to bring their own bottles in to re-fill, as another way to reduce use.

Others said they were doing their bit but wanted to see more action from shops.

“We also need local supermarkets to also introduce collection of plastic bags and wrappings so we can recycle them rather than put in rubbish and thus landfill — as can people in Auckland and Rotorua at their Countdowns and Pak’nSaves,” one person suggested.

A lot of people said they were reducing plastic usage but were concerned that only grades 1 and 2 plastics could now be recycled.

However, 40 percent of respondents, said they had not reduced their use of plastic.

“It’s very hard when so many products come in non-recyclable plastics,” one person said.

The prevalence of plastic at supermarkets was a reason several respondents gave for not reducing plastic usage.

“You would have to stop buying food etcetera from the supermarket because everything comes in plastic,” one person said.

Still others were adamant that reducing plastic use would not help the environment.

“The ban is yet another ill-conceived knee jerk law imposed by the government,” one respondent said.

Others thought the problem needed to be addressed by other nations.

“Our population rates as 0.06 percent of the world’s seven billion. What we do is a mere token effort and will make no difference. The frequent harangues we get from the Greens illustrate their ignorance of the situation,” a respondent said.

Another person said it had been too difficult.

“How can one when we are surrounded by plastics and there are so few alternative choices?”

A total of 352 people took part in the poll, with 211 saying ‘yes’ and 141 saying no.