Protesters send plastic rubbish-filled parcels by freepost to MPs

Wednesday, 23 October 2019

Protesters are using Parliament's freepost service to send bags of plastic rubbish to MPs.

Last week's target was trade and export minister David Parker, and this week it's National's environment spokesperson Scott Simpson.

Upper Hutt resident Tracey Ultra has been sending packages filled with plastic, including bread bags which are not recyclable.

'We need central government to ban non-recyclable, single-use plastic packaging and invest in recycling plants,' she said.

National's environment spokesperson Scott Simpson received about half a rubbish bag worth of plastic at his Parliamentary office.

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Coordinator Wade Bishop says more than 120 parcels have been sent to date

'Currently the cost to ratepayers and the overflowing recycling stations is not working - we need less plastic entering the country.'

Ultra said she sent plastic-filled mail to Parker last week, and this week she was sending two parcels to Simpson.

Kristy Lorson, the founder of Zero Waste in NZ! and online zero waste store, EarthSavvy, with her parcel of plastic ready to be posted.

The group's Facebook page, which has nearly 500 members, says the action is 'simple and relentless'.

'Plastic pollution is a production issue, not a consumer issue. It must be addressed by regulation not voluntary schemes - so it's a political issue,' the page said.

Coordinator Wade Bishop, of Christchurch, said more than 120 parcels had been sent to date - about 55 last week and 65 or so this week.

Parliament's freepost service is being used to send the neatly wrapped packages.

The aim was two-fold, the first being that all MPs become aware of waste as a political issue, and secondly to move the conversation away from the constant emphasis on consumer behaviour.

'Are consumers expected to ask how much pallet wrap was used to transport the product they want to buy - or ask to only see the appliances in a store that don't come packed in polystyrene or have boxes wrapped in film?' he said.

Tracey Ultra sent this plastic to Scott Simpson.

Kristy Lorson, the founder of Zero Waste in NZ! and online zero waste store EarthSavvy, also supported the Plastic2Parliament campaign this week.

'We avoid using single-use plastic in our house, so I sent plastic litter that I picked up off the street.'

Banning plastic bags was a great start but the government needed to take serious action to reduce single-use plastics, she said.

Simpson said he had received about half a rubbish bag worth of plastic at his Parliamentary office.

'I'd suggest people send this to the Minister's office instead as there has been a complete lack of action on recycling and waste minimisation from this Government.

'They've been in Government two years and have done nothing but talk.'

The Government is currently running consultation on products for mandatory product stewardship schemes, which could pass the responsibility of the plastic rubbish back to the manufacturers.

Associate environment minister Eugenie Sage said she hoped 'the senders have contributed their ideas in a constructive way to the public consultation process'.