Be a force for nature- NCDC introduces go green campaign

Burning plastic waste and cigarette butts are harmful to the environment and people's health, a Non-Government Organisation warned on Sunday, 2 June 2019.

Samantha Kuman of Sustainable Coastlines PNG said plastic bags and bottles take 10 to 1000 years to decompose.

She was speaking at the advance World Environment Day celebration initiated by the National Capital District Governor Powes Parkop who launched the Green Partner of the City, Green Excellence Business Award and to set up and eco green club in various secondary schools in the city at the Independence Boulevard to mark the day three days in advance.

She said studies show that 700 species of marine life were affected by plastic waste, adding close to 100 million marine mammals are killed each by the plastic pollution in the ocean and river systems.

She cited that over one million sea birds are killed by plastic waste in the ocean.

Kuman urged fellow citizens to stop burning plastic containers in front of shop fronts or within their premises or litter them into waterways and drainage or into the ocean to save the marine life and address air pollution.

She extended her call to smokers to litter cigarette filters (butt) at trash bins, saying it contains more than 700 chemicals which are poisonous to marine life. 

“Cigarette filters contribute more to ocean pollution. They take decade or more to decompose,” said Kuman who pledged to become a force for the Nature.

She also warned that plastic waste contain furan (which can cause cancer) dioxin (if inhaled, it can cause coughing, dizziness and suffocation, saying when exposed to it for a long time, it can cause cancer).

She made a commitment ‘to be a Force for Nature’ in the city.