Norway puts the plastic problem on agenda

Plastic bottle waste disposable Recycling plastic wastePlastic bottle left on a beach. Photo: Pixabay.com

When the G7 countries were assembled in France on Sunday, the Minister of Climate and Environment, Ola Elvestuen, said that Norway’s waste management is an example to follow.

“We must leave this meeting with some very concrete measures that go beyond the speeches” said French Secretary of State, Brune Poirson, when the G-7 meeting opened in Metz in France on Sunday.

The summit took place the day before the Nature Panel’s (IPBES) first global report. The published report is based on more than 400 experts’ findings.

The report is expected to bring dramatic messages about the state of the earth.

At the G7 meeting, plastic waste was on the agenda, and the Minister for Climate and Environment, Ola Elvestuen (V), was able to state that the Norwegian government is now in the process of banning plastic
disposable cutlery, plastic plates, straws, and q-tips within next year.

‘’We must act locally, we must cooperate with the business community, and we must act globally. This has to be a worldwide movement’’ said Elvestu to the congress.

In addition to the G7 countries, the United States, Japan, Canada, France, Italy, Japan, UK, and Germany, several representatives of the plastic industry participated. Among other things, they were told about the Norwegian deposit system, which ensures that more than 90% of plastic bottles are collected and how the business sector helps to reduce waste.

‘’In Norway, 50 øre for each plastic bag now goes to an environmental fund, which is to be used to reduce plastic waste. We also work with a voluntary agreement with the business community to reduce plastic waste. Here we have a good model from a completely different deal, namely to reduce food waste. Here, the business community has committed itself to a goal of less food waste’’ Elvestuen said.

© NTB Scanpix / #Norway Today

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