On October 1, 2022 - New Zealand took a step forward on its three-year plan to phase out troublesome plastic products, by banning selected single-use plastic products from being sold or manufactured in Aotearoa. These products include: 🌿⁠ ⁠ - Plastic cotton buds⁠ - Plastic drink stirrers ⁠ - PVC plastic food trays (i.e. meat trays)⁠ - Polystyrene takeaway packaging for food and beverages⁠ - Expanded polystyrene food and beverage retail packaging (ie. - instant noodle cups)⁠ - Plastics with additives to make them quickly break into smaller pieces (leaving micro-plastics behind)⁠ ⁠ Another step forward toward breaking up with plastic is a step worth celebrating. 💚⁠ ⁠ Nice work New Zealand! 👏