Lets stop littering together, says graduate

Business

PEOPLE must work together to control littering in the country, a Business and environmental science graduate says.
Robertha Leo, 20, who recently graduated from the University of PNG, said a research by American scientists showed that in the past 65 years, more than 8.3 billion tonnes of plastic was created, used for a short period of time, then discarded.
“Littering is a huge issue in the country. It is disgusting and shameful that citizens do not think twice about throwing plastic and bottles everywhere and anywhere they want to,” she said.
Leo said piles of rubbish along the streets and in streams were an eyesore and an environment hazard.
“If the people continue to carelessly dispose their rubbish like that, the country will risk losing what money cannot buy back – our natural resources and the environment,” she said.
“All of us have to take responsibility now to start cleaning our mess and handling our rubbish by putting them in the correct area as we cannot blame the government and ask them all the time to clean up our mess.”
Help PNG, non-government organisation, chief executive Frank Butler said people should also look at the negative impact plastic bags were having on traditional bilum weavers and the cultural impact on that cottage weaving industry.
“I understand there was an act in place to ban plastic bags but this has caused a backlash from private industries who were not ready for such a startling change and the idea was changed,” he said.
Butler said his organisation was proposing to do a transition over a one-year period by putting up posters and stickers on car bumpers and at shop counters encouraging the public to “say no to plastic” as a conscious choice.