Whanganui plastic-free event gets good response from shoppers

Johanna Poole (left) consults Deb Frederikse on her reusable bag selection at the plastic packaging unwrap stall. Photo / Bevan Conley

Whanganui shoppers are using fewer plastic bags and showing a willingness to replace them with reusable bags, says John Milnes.

Milnes was stationed at the plastic packaging unwrap station outside New World Supermarket in Victoria Ave on Sunday where shoppers could exchange their plastic vegetable wrappings for reusable bags.

Many New World customers were arriving with their own reusable bags but those without were offered some from the stall.

The bags have been manufactured by prisoners in the high-security unit at Whanganui Prison, in collaboration with Plastic Bag Free Whanganui (PBFW).

The scheme, which started in December, is proving to be very successful, says Milne.

"We are getting plenty of donations of fabric from curtain manufacturers.

"They give us ends of rolls and leftover pieces which are very good but they can be made from any leftover fabrics, and cotton or hemp are best."

The event was one of a many being held in Whanganui as part of the global Plastic Free July campaign and the message is to encourage shoppers to "choose to refuse" single-use plastic bags.

"People have been seeing a lot more images of the harm that plastic does and the whale that died in Thailand was especially shocking."

The pilot whale died last month in southern Thailand after eating more than 80 plastic bags.

"When a whale dies from ingesting plastic, people take notice," said Milne.

"As long as they are making money, plastic manufacturers will keep producing more unnecessary packaging."

The event was one of over 30 scheduled for Plastic Free July in Whanganui. More information can be found on the Plastic Free Whanganui Facebook Page.