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Plastic bag survival kit on sale as 'Bag-ageddon' sets to strike NZ

Author
NZ Herald,
Publish Date
Wed, 15 Aug 2018, 9:42AM
One TradeMe user has tapped into people's concerns over the impending plastic bag ban. (Photo / TradeMe)
One TradeMe user has tapped into people's concerns over the impending plastic bag ban. (Photo / TradeMe)

Plastic bag survival kit on sale as 'Bag-ageddon' sets to strike NZ

Author
NZ Herald,
Publish Date
Wed, 15 Aug 2018, 9:42AM

Kiwis are losing their minds following the news single-use plastic bags will be banned and phased out over the next 12 months.

While many appear delighted at the news, some are desperate to stock up on their plastic bags in preparation for the ban as they struggle to cope with the news.

But one Trade Me user has "come to the rescue" after preparing a "Bag-Ageddon Emergency Survival Kit", offering hundreds of bags to the highest bidder.

"Scientists like Jeff Goldblum failed to genetically modify sharks that can eat plastic bags... so the Green Party of NZ say the End is Nigh. Hooray," the seller wrote on Trade Me.

"But some aren't ready to embrace this positive change. So we created 'The Bag-Ageddon - Emergency Survival Kit'."

The seller says the survival kit comes with 200 single-use supermarket bags, 1 'bag for good' starter kit and one 'use me again bag' starter kit.

The kit, which had a $1 reserve, is now sitting at $45 after receiving more than 40 bids to date.

A number of quirky questions have come through with the seller providing their own cheeky response.

"Yes. $1 Reserve... but you'll have to get in quick. I hear Briscoes is having a big clearance sale this week. And enough bags at the checkout counter to fill Lake Taupo," the seller wrote.

Another bidder asked: "Would you consider exchanging for some plastic straws? I bought them for my pet turtle but he got bored of sticking them up his nose." The seller responded, saying: "Oh no. Poor Michelangelo. That's terrible. I hope he didn't get splinters."

One viewer called out the seller saying "this is f**ked" and slammed the idea. But the seller was armed with a well-placed joke, replying: "Are you here for a bag? Or just here to bag me out?"

Bidding closes Tuesday, August 21 at 8.30pm.

Last week Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said single-use plastic bags would soon be phased out, hoping the war against plastic would reduce the amount of pollution and environmental harm.

Ardern said the Government had listened to the 65,000 New Zealanders who had this year called for the ban through a signed petition.

"Every year in New Zealand we use hundreds of millions of single-use plastic bags – a mountain of bags, many of which end up polluting our precious coastal and marine environments and cause serious harm to all kinds of marine life, and all of this when there are viable alternatives for consumers and business.

"It's great that many people are already changing the way they shop. But it's important we take the time now to get this right so we can help all New Zealanders adjust their shopping habits," she said.

"We need to be far smarter in the way we manage waste, and this is a good start."

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