Plastic ban

Three hundred million tons of plastics are produced each year worldwide. Less than 10% of plastic waste in the United States is recycled each year. With projections showing that plastics production is expected to triple over the next 40 years, public concern over plastics pollution is coming to a head. For example, in 2020, a coalition of more than 500 community and conservation organizations released a “Presidential Plastics Action Plan” urging the Biden administration to pass federal legislation banning the use of single-use plastics and to limit plastic production. Two legislative solutions to combat plastic pollution have emerged: (1) encouraging “advanced recycling,” a process that strips plastics down to their chemical form for reuse; and (2)limiting and reducing plastics consumption. While backers of advanced recycling argue that it is the way of the future, environmental groups argue the practice fails to address the true scope of plastic pollution and will contribute to hazardous emissions. To date, neither solution has gained traction at the national level. At the state and local level, however, regulation involving both methods is increasingly taking shape. ADVANCED RECYCLING LEGISLATION In the last five years, 20 states—primarily red states—have passed laws aimed at encouraging advanced recycling. • Reclassifying advanced recycling facilities as manufacturing plants, rather than as facilities that handle solid waste. This distinction carries regulatory and econ...

California has passed an ambitious law to significantly reduce single-use plastics, becoming the first state in the US to approve such sweeping restrictions. Under the new law, which California’s governor, Gavin Newsom, signed on Thursday afternoon, the state will have to ensure a 25% drop in single-use plastic by 2032. It also requires that at least 30% of plastic items sold or bought in California are recyclable by 2028, and establishes a plastic pollution mitigation fund. Read more “It’s time for California to lead the nation and world in curbing the plastic crisis. Our planet cannot wait,” The passage of the bill came just before a deadline to remove an initiative aimed at reducing single-use plastics from the November ballot. Negotiations on the bill have been under way for six months with a team working to craft a proposal that ensured the economic responsibility fell to plastic producers and used language that satisfied the demands of all involved from those in the industry to environmentalists, the The law will establish a producer responsibility organization, composed of industry representatives, to run a recycling program overseen by the state. The organization will also be responsible for $500m a year in support for a new plastic pollution mitigation fund to look at the environmental and health impacts of plastics. The state will also be required to reduce expanded polystyrene, which is commonly used in food containers, 25% by 2023, a goal experts say will be al...

Account icon An icon in the shape of a person's head and shoulders. It often indicates a user profile. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • All • A-Z • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Featured • • About • • • • • • • • Follow • • • • • • • • Subscriptions • • Twitter icon A stylized bird with an open mouth, tweeting. Twitter LinkedIn icon The word "in". LinkedIn Fliboard icon A stylized letter F. Flipboard Facebook Icon The letter F. Facebook Email icon An envelope. It indicates the ability to send an email. Email Link icon An image of a chain link. It symobilizes a website link url. Copy Link Read in app The first half of 2022 has seen a wave of new policies cracking down on plastic pollution in the US and countries like Canada and India. In recent weeks, California became the fourth state that will force companies to pay for cleaning up packaging waste, while Canada and India have banned the production and import of certain single-use plastic products. Advocates say the momentum feels like a turning point in the global fight to eliminate the eight million metric tons of plastic waste "The public is increasingly making the connection between plastic and so many other issues, which is expanding the coalition of groups and individuals who care deeply about this," Anja Brandon, a US plastics-policy analyst at the nonprofit Ocean Conservancy, said. "That, in turn, is expanding t...

Partial charge or ban (municipal or regional levels) Single-use plastic bans [ ] The European Union From October 2023, the UK government has banned "single-use plastics" in England, which are defined to include a range of products, but does not include "shelf-ready pre-packaged food items" found in most supermarkets. China has a phased-in program of plastic bans from 2020 to 2025 on products from bags, to straws, to cutlery, to certain packaging, to items in hotels.

The average supermarket plastic bag It makes you wonder how we’ve gone so long without realising (or caring?) that plastic is having a truly devastating effect on the environment. Luckily, these 16 countries and cities around the world have made serious strides in the race against plastic, and the rest of us can learn a lot from them. 1. Kenya As of August 2017, anyone in Kenya who’s found using, producing, or selling a plastic bag faces up to four years in jail, or a $38,000 fine. Image: Facebook/Ndungu Nyoro 2. Vanuatu On July 30, 2017, its independence day, the Pacific nation of Vanuatu announced When implemented, it will ban the use or importation of single-use plastic bags and bottles — and it will make Vanuatu the first Pacific country to launch such a ban. 3. UK In January 2018, the UK The first “landmark step” was It’s not quite a complete ban, however, with “leave-on” products like sunscreen and makeup still allowed to contain microbeads. The UK has also brought in a tax on plastic bags, as of 2015, which has resulted in 9 billion fewer plastic bags in circulation. Prime Minister Theresa May also Even the Queen of England has joined the war on plastics, by 4. Taiwan In February, The ban — which builds on existing regulations like a recycling programme, and extra charges for plastic bags — should be completely in force by 2030. 5. Zimbabwe In July 2017, Those caught violating the ban have to pay a fine of between $30 and $500. Image: TRF/Moraa Obiria 6. Montreal Th...

The average supermarket plastic bag It makes you wonder how we’ve gone so long without realising (or caring?) that plastic is having a truly devastating effect on the environment. Luckily, these 16 countries and cities around the world have made serious strides in the race against plastic, and the rest of us can learn a lot from them. 1. Kenya As of August 2017, anyone in Kenya who’s found using, producing, or selling a plastic bag faces up to four years in jail, or a $38,000 fine. Image: Facebook/Ndungu Nyoro 2. Vanuatu On July 30, 2017, its independence day, the Pacific nation of Vanuatu announced When implemented, it will ban the use or importation of single-use plastic bags and bottles — and it will make Vanuatu the first Pacific country to launch such a ban. 3. UK In January 2018, the UK The first “landmark step” was It’s not quite a complete ban, however, with “leave-on” products like sunscreen and makeup still allowed to contain microbeads. The UK has also brought in a tax on plastic bags, as of 2015, which has resulted in 9 billion fewer plastic bags in circulation. Prime Minister Theresa May also Even the Queen of England has joined the war on plastics, by 4. Taiwan In February, The ban — which builds on existing regulations like a recycling programme, and extra charges for plastic bags — should be completely in force by 2030. 5. Zimbabwe In July 2017, Those caught violating the ban have to pay a fine of between $30 and $500. Image: TRF/Moraa Obiria 6. Montreal Th...

Partial charge or ban (municipal or regional levels) Single-use plastic bans [ ] The European Union From October 2023, the UK government has banned "single-use plastics" in England, which are defined to include a range of products, but does not include "shelf-ready pre-packaged food items" found in most supermarkets. China has a phased-in program of plastic bans from 2020 to 2025 on products from bags, to straws, to cutlery, to certain packaging, to items in hotels.

California has passed an ambitious law to significantly reduce single-use plastics, becoming the first state in the US to approve such sweeping restrictions. Under the new law, which California’s governor, Gavin Newsom, signed on Thursday afternoon, the state will have to ensure a 25% drop in single-use plastic by 2032. It also requires that at least 30% of plastic items sold or bought in California are recyclable by 2028, and establishes a plastic pollution mitigation fund. Read more “It’s time for California to lead the nation and world in curbing the plastic crisis. Our planet cannot wait,” The passage of the bill came just before a deadline to remove an initiative aimed at reducing single-use plastics from the November ballot. Negotiations on the bill have been under way for six months with a team working to craft a proposal that ensured the economic responsibility fell to plastic producers and used language that satisfied the demands of all involved from those in the industry to environmentalists, the The law will establish a producer responsibility organization, composed of industry representatives, to run a recycling program overseen by the state. The organization will also be responsible for $500m a year in support for a new plastic pollution mitigation fund to look at the environmental and health impacts of plastics. The state will also be required to reduce expanded polystyrene, which is commonly used in food containers, 25% by 2023, a goal experts say will be al...

Three hundred million tons of plastics are produced each year worldwide. Less than 10% of plastic waste in the United States is recycled each year. With projections showing that plastics production is expected to triple over the next 40 years, public concern over plastics pollution is coming to a head. For example, in 2020, a coalition of more than 500 community and conservation organizations released a “Presidential Plastics Action Plan” urging the Biden administration to pass federal legislation banning the use of single-use plastics and to limit plastic production. Two legislative solutions to combat plastic pollution have emerged: (1) encouraging “advanced recycling,” a process that strips plastics down to their chemical form for reuse; and (2)limiting and reducing plastics consumption. While backers of advanced recycling argue that it is the way of the future, environmental groups argue the practice fails to address the true scope of plastic pollution and will contribute to hazardous emissions. To date, neither solution has gained traction at the national level. At the state and local level, however, regulation involving both methods is increasingly taking shape. ADVANCED RECYCLING LEGISLATION In the last five years, 20 states—primarily red states—have passed laws aimed at encouraging advanced recycling. • Reclassifying advanced recycling facilities as manufacturing plants, rather than as facilities that handle solid waste. This distinction carries regulatory and econ...

Account icon An icon in the shape of a person's head and shoulders. It often indicates a user profile. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • All • A-Z • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Featured • • About • • • • • • • • Follow • • • • • • • • Subscriptions • • Twitter icon A stylized bird with an open mouth, tweeting. Twitter LinkedIn icon The word "in". LinkedIn Fliboard icon A stylized letter F. Flipboard Facebook Icon The letter F. Facebook Email icon An envelope. It indicates the ability to send an email. Email Link icon An image of a chain link. It symobilizes a website link url. Copy Link Read in app The first half of 2022 has seen a wave of new policies cracking down on plastic pollution in the US and countries like Canada and India. In recent weeks, California became the fourth state that will force companies to pay for cleaning up packaging waste, while Canada and India have banned the production and import of certain single-use plastic products. Advocates say the momentum feels like a turning point in the global fight to eliminate the eight million metric tons of plastic waste "The public is increasingly making the connection between plastic and so many other issues, which is expanding the coalition of groups and individuals who care deeply about this," Anja Brandon, a US plastics-policy analyst at the nonprofit Ocean Conservancy, said. "That, in turn, is expanding t...