Manufacturing of thicker plastic bags above 50 microns is not the solution towards protecting our environment.

This was emphasised by the Minister for Agriculture, Rural and Maritime Development, Waterways and Environment, Dr Mahendra Reddy while handing over a fibre glass boat and a outboard engine to the Nakubati Youth Club in Rakiraki.

Dr. Reddy says that manufacturers should be producing Bio-degradable bags as plastic pollution had been a significant contributor to environmental problems in Fiji.

He says the intention of the legislative amendment is to migrate people or users from using plastic bags to using bio-degradable bags and this initiative is a bold step towards achieving a cleaner environment for Fiji.

The Minister has urged all manufacturers to manufacture Bio-degradable bags which do not have any impacts on the environment and also it will reduce the unit price for the bags which consumers are paying more now due to less supply.

The ban of single-use plastic bags was a crucial step in protecting Fiji’s waterways, oceans, rivers, and wildlife from plastic pollution.

Dr. Reddy says these legislative changes leading to the plastic bag ban were part of a suite of measures created to reduce the impact of plastic pollution, and reducing the amount of waste being sent to our landfills, while at the same time strengthening Fiji’s recycling options.