The Pacific nation of Vanuatu has said that it plans to ban the use of disposable nappies.
This comes along with the news that the country plans to make an all-out ban on all types of single-use plastic.
The decision was made after a study showed that nappies are one of the most disposed of items in most households.
Foreign Minister Ralph Regenvanu recently spoke about his plans at a conference in the country’s capital Port Vila this week.
He aims to make the Oceanic country more environmentally friendly by banning all single waste plastics including plastic cutlery, drink stirrers and disposable cups.
Discussion on how Vanuatu will implement a coming fantastic move: BANNING DISPOSABLE NAPPIES, one of the worst forms of marine/terrestrial pollution in Pacific. Awesome move Min Regenvanu @RRegenvanu Pacific Community behind you @spc_cps @DailypostVu pic.twitter.com/CWQCsNTrpu
— Pacific Live tweets (@spc_live) February 18, 2019
The new nappy ban is set to come into place by the end of 2019 and will hopefully see a large reduction in the number of disposable nappies ending up in landfills.
According to The Guardian Mike Masauvakalo of the ministry of foreign affairs said;
“It is a long road ahead, but knowing my country, we will work it out. Vanuatu is very vocal about the climate emergency. It is visible, we are living it. It is affecting our food supply and our fish populations.”
Climate change and cutting down on waste is at the forefront of most discussions in governments across the globe and Vanuatu’s new ban may inspire other countries to take the same step.
