Plastic utensils use criticised

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 33095, 9 December 1972, Page 16

Plastic utensils use criticised

(New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, December 8. Because of possible pollution problems the use of plastic utensils by the in-flight catering service on National Airways Corporation aircraft was criticised at a meeting of the Environmental Council today.

The corporation told the council that the polystyrene cups, trays, and goblets on flights were used only opce and then were disposed of by burning in the airport authority’s incinerator at Auckland and buried in city council refuse tips at Christchurch, Dunedin, and Wellington. “It is wasteful to use them once,” said Mr E. A. J. Holdaway. Such plastic containers were virtually indestructible. Mr C. N. McKenzie: “Filling our refuse tips with these things doesn’t seem right.” Mr Holdaway said that the cost of disposing of the utensils was being met by ratepayers while it did riot cost the airline anything.

Mr R. G. Norman: “It could be argued that other sorts of containers might produce health and disposal problems out weighing the disadvantage of using plastic containers The chairman (Mr D. A. Thom), said that the council did not have enough information to take the matter further at the present time.