Angie Warren-Clark Labour MP

I have been on the Environment Select Committee since I came into parliament in 2017, and am really passionate about doing the best for our environment. So I'm delighted with the two massively impactful announcements that have come out this week.

The Minister for the Environment, David Parker, announced a new phase-out of problem plastics and some single-use plastics by July 2025. This is building on from our successful plastic bag ban.

The plastics that we'll be banning are hard to recycle food and drink packaging made from PVC and polystyrene, and some degradable plastic products.

We'll also ban single-use plastic items, including drink stirrers, cotton buds, single-use produce bags, cutlery, plates and bowls, straws and fruit labels.

Reducing plastic waste will improve our environment and ensure we live up to our clean, green reputation. I'm sure we all agree that removing these items from landfill, our waterways, our beautiful beaches and the ocean is a great outcome. Plastic stickers on fruit and straws have a longer timeframe so that alternatives can be found.

Minister Parker also released the first draft of the proposed law to replace the RMA on Tuesday this week. This exposure draft of the Natural and Build Environments Act comes to the Environment Select Committee. We then open an inquiry into the exposure draft of the act.

This is where the public and stakeholders get the chance to submit on the draft of this bill. This is going to test and improve the content before the final draft is created and then gets introduced to the house as normal in early 2022.

It is vital legislation - long overdue to replace the RMA and will have a huge impact on our lives. Have your say!