Shopping for fruit and vegetables will be different from today (Saturday July 1), as government regulations turn single use plastic produce bags into a thing of the past.

Central Otago District Council (CODC) waste minimisation officer Abi Hawkins said while paper bags are better than plastic she is encouraging reusable bags.

CODC has a limited number (2000) of reusable produce bags to give away to residents.

Abi will be at the Alexandra supermarkets today during the morning, and at Cromwell supermarkets on Wednesday (July 5) in the afternoon and early evening.

“Reuse is the winner rather than recycling,” Abi said.

Smaller grocery stores such as Four Square will have a small stock of the giveaway reusable produce bags that residents can request.  

Packs of three reusable produce bags are available in the Alexandra Countdown for 60c

From today the government is banning the use of more single-use plastic items, restricting the use of plastic straws, and phasing out non-compostable produce labels.

The manufacture, sale or distribution of single-use plastic produce bags, and plastic plates, bowls and cutlery is now banned in New Zealand. Plastic straws are also restricted.

Any plastic produce labels that are not home compostable will also be banned.

Businesses may provide alternative options for customers, like bamboo and paper-based utensils and cutlery, paper bags and paper drinking straws.

Single-use plastic products often wind up as rubbish and can overflow from bins into waterways where they affect ecosystems and the environment. 

Abi said she can give advice to anyone who needs a hand to understand the ban, or find alternatives to use (email: [email protected]).

While suspected non-compliance can be reported to the Ministry for the Environment (MFE) Abi said the ministry’s focus is on “education first rather than enforcement”.

For more about the single-use plastics ban, visit the MFE website.