Time for Labor to wake up to impact of litter, says Cassy O’Connor, and please sign the petition.
The Tasmanian Greens today stepped up their push for a state based container deposit scheme, launching a new petition and warning that public pressure for the state to take action would only increase.
Greens Environment spokesperson Cassy O’Connor MP said the Environment Minister Brian Wightman MP must stop stalling on introducing a container deposit scheme, and on the plastic bag ban that has already been voted in by Parliament.
Ms O’Connor today joined a group of volunteers, including local zoologist and seabird researcher Dr Jennifer Lavers, who braved the rain to help clean up litter from Howrah Beach on Hobart’s eastern shore.
“It was great to see so many volunteers out helping to keep our state beautiful, but unfortunately what can’t be collected is the massive amount of plastic floating around in the marine environment.”
“Bottle caps, plastic bags, drink containers and a multitude of other colourful plastic objects are littering the sea and, tragically, a lot of gets ingested by marine and seabird species.”
“This is a major ecological tragedy, and we can help now by introducing a container deposit scheme so that people have an incentive not to litter and to pick up other people’s litter before it makes its way to the sea.”
“There is overwhelming public support for a container deposit scheme but unfortunately the Labor Party is fobbing off the issue by saying it’s waiting for a national approach.”
“At this rate a national container deposit scheme will never happen through COAG, and several other states have already seen this and introduced their own schemes.”
Copies of the petition are available for download here: http://mps.tas.greens.org.au/greensmps/cassyoconnor/
• CONTAINER DEPOSIT NO BRAINER: ECONOMIC BOOST FOR LESS LITTER
Labor Has Dropped Ball on This Win-Win Scenario
Cassy O’Connor MP
Greens Environment Spokesperson
The Tasmanian Greens today hailed the success of this year’s Clean-Up Australia Day, held nationally on March 4, which saw volunteers across Tasmania help clean up more than 250 sites throughout the state.
Greens Environment spokesperson Cassy O’Connor MP said much of the litter collected reinforced the need for Tasmania’s own contained deposit scheme.
“Litter and plastic pollution continue to despoil our beautiful island, polluting waterways, contaminating ecosystems on and off-shore, and poisoning our wildlife.”
“While Labor dithers on this common-sense reform and while the Liberals are completely out to lunch on this issue, it was great to see so many committed Tasmanians taking action to clean up our state,” said Ms O’Connor.
“This is not a side issue. It is about how we are living and taking responsibility for our actions upon our surroundings. A state-based container deposit scheme would help close the loop, boosting recycling, economic wellbeing and protecting our surroundings as a result. And it is badly needed.”
“Like a common-sense ban on non-biodegradable plastic bag, we know most people emphatically support reducing litter and increasing recycling rates that a state-based container deposit scheme would bring.”
“Dedicated people such as Dr Jennifer Lavers have shown the devastating effects of plastic pollution on seabirds, while Matt Dell, coordinator of the South West Coast Marine Debris Clean Up, and his colleagues have documented the type and volume of marine debris in South West Tasmania for over a decade.”
“Despite the evidence of harm caused by plastic pollution, Labor is dragging its feet on a container deposit scheme. This is simply irresponsible and the Greens again call on the Minister for the Environment, Brian Wightman, to step up and commit to implement such as scheme,” said Ms O’Connor.
