New Zealand pledges to take more steps against plastic wastes

12/9/2019 - 9:43:23 AM

New Zealand will phase out more single-use plastics, announced its government on Sunday (December 8).

Illustrative Image.

A report, Rethinking Plastics in Aotearoa New Zealand, was released by the Prime Minister's Chief Science Advisor Prof Juliet Gerrard on Sunday, which highlighted New Zealand's position in plastics use and gave recommendations for further changes.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has welcomed the report. "Many New Zealanders, including many children, write to me about plastic -- concerned with its proliferation over the past decade and the mounting waste ending up in our oceans. I share this concern for our natural environment," said Ardern.

Ardern said the government is pledged to take further steps on plastic wastes. The measures include: shifting away from low-value and hard-to-recycle plastic, moving away from single-use packaging and beverage containers made of hard-to-recycle PVC and polystyrene, and stimulating innovation and development of solutions to the soft plastic problem.

The report also reaffirmed a national resource recovery work programme in response to many countries' bans on importing waste and recyclables.

"Our goal must be to make New Zealand an economy where plastic rarely becomes waste or pollution," said Associate Minister for the Environment Eugenie Sage.

Single-use plastic bags in shops have been banned in New Zealand since July this year.

Source: NDO

Existential danger from COVID-19 pandemic

The danger from the COVID-19 pandemic is still latent, threatening people’s health and lives in the context that the immunity provided from the COVID-19 vaccine has decreased. Many other dangerous diseases are also likely to break out when the global vaccination rate slows down, due to inequality in access to health services, vaccine hesitancy, and consequences of economic recession.

Vietnam among ASEAN countries recording EV sales surge

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is witnessing a rise in the sales of electric vehicles (EVs) in Vietnam, Malaysia and Indonesia, according to Maybank Investment Bank Research (Maybank IB Research).

International friends bid farewell to Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong

The respect paying ceremony for Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong continued on the morning of July 26 at the National Funeral Hall in Hanoi, with high-level delegations from foreign countries and international organisations paying their last respects and expressing deep condolences.

Global outpouring of grief for Vietnamese Party chief

A wave of condolences have poured in from world leaders, international organisations, rulling parties, Communist parties and partner parties following the death of Vietnamese Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong.

Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, a revered leader in Vietnam and world: Australian Senate President

President of the Australian Senate Sue Lines has expressed her deepest sympathy over the passing of General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee Nguyen Phu Trong and affirmed that he is a revered leader both in Vietnam and across the world.

Vietnam hopes UN, ASEAN coordinate closely, effectively over Myanmar issue: Ambassador

Ambassador Dang Hoang Giang, Vietnam’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations (UN), on June 5 had a meeting with UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy on Myanmar Julie Bishop during her working visit to New York.