Government will ban polluting plastics at the end of the year, spurring the search for something different

This article is more than 2 years old

This article is more than 2 years old

In a bid to protect the precious “blue Pacific” the Samoan government will ban all single-use plastic bags and straws by January next year.

Styrofoam food containers and cups will also be banned once environmentally sustainable alternatives are sourced, the government said in a statement.

You don't use so much plastic, do you? How to ditch plastics for July – and beyond Read more

“A new era is in place for Samoa ... as we enhance our blue Pacific and join the global fight to restore our ocean and address damage caused by plastic,” said Ulu Bismarck Crawley, chief executive at the ministry of natural resources and environment.

James Atherton of the Samoa Conservation Society told Radio NZ there was increasing research into sustainable alternatives to single-use plastic bags and food containers, including plates made from coconut leaves, which is found in abundance in the Pacific islands.

Other research has identified hemp, chicken feathers and cassava as potential alternatives.

A survey conducted by the ministry revealed a significant increase in waste from 26,000 tonnes a year in 2011 to 32,850 tonnes in 2017 – an increase of more than 20% in six years.

It is estimated that Samoa generates about 8,869 tonnes of plastic a year, and that about 70% of the litter in urban coastal waters is made of plastic, which chokes mangrove systems, kills marine wildlife and pollutes many of the tourist island’s beaches and scenic areas.

“This issue is too large for us to sit by without taking any action,” said Crawley. “By making these changes as a nation, our positive impact will be felt not only by us in Samoa, but also by our global community.”

Last year prime minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi pledged at the United Nations ocean conference to crack down on plastic pollution, a key environmental threat facing numerous Pacific islands, many of whom are in the process of banning plastics or reducing plastic consumption.

Mr Kosi Latu, director general of the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme, said: “We congratulate Samoa for taking bold action and working together to make changes that will benefit us all.

“This will also have a positive impact as Samoa prepares for Pacific Games in 2019 in greening of the games. This could be the first plastic-free Pacific games.”

In the 1950s the world made about 2m tonnes of plastic a year. That figure has now climbed to 330m tonnes a year – and is set to treble by 2050.

Other countries to have banned or phased out single-use plastic bags include Kenya, Vanuatu, and some states in Australia.