Vanuatu’s ban on plastic bag still holds existing concerns, with an influx of cheaper material exports set to hit the local handicraft sector.
Handicraft development officer Ian Banirui, says it will not be easy for locally made products to compete with imports, given their longer production time.
However the Vanuatu government and environmental groups say the it will be a ‘great opportunity’ for women to replace plastic bags with traditional-style products such as biodegradable baskets.