Press release – 18 October, 2017October 17, 2017: A giant container of “Gladys Wrap” bearing the face of NSW Premier, Gladys Berejiklian, has been unveiled as part of the opening day of Sydney’s iconic Sculptures by the Sea.The guerilla art installation was created and placed among the other art exhibits by a dozen Greenpeace activists who are protesting the Premier’s refusal to join other states in regulating the use of single-use plastic bags.
“Our analysis shows that the NSW government can’t continue to make excuses for their inaction on plastic pollution,” Greenpeace activist, Maggie Koussa, said.
“Every state other than NSW have moved to ban single use plastic bags but Premier Berejiklian continues to do nothing.”
Premier Berejiklian in July said there was no need for NSW to ban single-use plastic bags as major supermarket chains had already done so.
But analysis done by Greenpeace Australian Pacific showed a failure to ban single use plastics means 1.1 billion bags would continue to be discarded each year in NSW alone.
“More than 1 billion bags in NSW will not be covered by the voluntary action by supermarkets. That’s billions of bags that Berejiklian has an environmental responsibility to keep out of our waterways and landfill,” Koussa said.
“Letting supermarkets lead the state on environmental issues would be weak even if it were effective, given that it will still not solve the problem the Premier’s inaction is disgraceful.
“Our oceans are already being clogged up with plastic pollution, and the last thing we need is billions of more bags across NSW ending up in these states’ beautiful beaches, waterways and oceans to strangle and suffocate marine life.”
NOTES FOR EDITORS:
[1] http://bit.ly/2w4zQA9
For interviews contact:
Maggie Koussa
0452 621 472 /