Although the new crown epidemic around the world has not yet ended, various economic and social activities have gradually recovered. The progress of the plastic circular economy that was affected by the epidemic earlier has also begun to become active in recent days.
The Netherlands, Germany, Greece and other EU countries have issued single-use plastic bans in response to the EU single-use plastics directive with a deadline of next year; Asian countries are also actively promoting single-use plastics policies, such as Jakarta s implementation of the single-use plastic ban on July 1; , Africa is also keeping up with the pace of circular economy.
The Netherlands, Germany, and Greece successively introduced new regulations in response to the EU single-use plastics directive
As early as the end of 2018, the European Parliament passed the Single Use Plastic Directive (Single Use Plastic Directive). According to this directive, by 2021, all member states of the European Union will completely ban disposable plastic products such as plastic straws, cotton swabs, plastic plates and plastic cutlery. By 2025, EU member states strive to achieve a 95% recycling rate of plastic bottles. All EU member states including France, the Netherlands, Germany, Greece, etc. must incorporate this directive into national regulations.
Following the implementation of the first batch of single-use plastic bans in France at the beginning of this year, the Netherlands, Germany, and Greece have also recently introduced single-use plastic bans in order to implement the new EU directive before the deadline next year.
The Netherlands and Germany will implement single-use plastic bans on July 3, 2021
The Netherlands recently promulgated a regulation that will ban the use of a variety of disposable plastic products from July 3, 2021, aimed at reducing marine waste plastic pollution. Prohibited products include plastic plates, cutlery, blenders and straws. At the same time, it will also improve the recycling of plastic products and adopt better reusable alternatives.
The Netherlands recently promulgated a regulation that will ban the use of a variety of disposable plastic products from July 3, 2021, including plastic dishes, cutlery, blenders and straws.
Similarly, Germany has recently passed a ban on single-use plastics, and will ban the sale of disposable tableware, dishes, stirring rods, balloon holders, polystyrene cups and boxes from July 3, 2021. plastic products. This move is part of Germany s move away from the "disposable culture". Of the garbage collected in German parks and other public places, 20% is made of disposable plastic, mainly polystyrene containers.
Greece issues a draft ban on single-use plastics
The Greek government said on Tuesday that it had drafted a bill to prohibit the use of single-use plastic products, including takeaway coffee cups, cotton swabs, etc., before the deadline for the EU s single-use plastics directive in 2021. The Ministry of Environment of Greece stated that Greece is a big coffee consumer, and for this reason, it needs to consume 350 million plastic cups and 2 billion plastic bottles every year. Compared with some EU countries, Greece is still at a backward level in the "19th century" in terms of recycling process.
Greece is a big coffee consumer, which consumes 350 million plastic cups and 2 billion plastic bottles every year.
Greece also announced a series of waste reduction measures, including the installation of water supply facilities for public places from July 2021; a surcharge of 0.04 euros for plastic cups and food containers from 2022.
Affected by the epidemic, the United Kingdom and Italy postpone the ban on single-use plastics
Several other EU countries have postponed the implementation of single-use plastic bans. For example, the United Kingdom announced in April that due to the new crown epidemic, the single-use plastic ban that was originally to be implemented in April will be postponed to October this year; Italy originally implemented plastics this year Tax (Plastic Tax) will also be postponed until next year; Hungary s single-use plastic ban will be implemented in January 2021.
The EU will introduce more long-term measures. For example, from 2024, the lid must be integrated with the plastic bottle or packaging to increase the recycling rate; another example, from 2025, the plastic bottle must contain at least 25% recycled content.
Asia: July 1st Japan s plastic bag levy, Jakarta implements single-use plastic ban
On July 1, Japan implemented a new law on levying plastic bags, requiring supermarkets, convenience stores, pharmacies and other retail stores to levy single-use plastic shopping bags. Depending on the size of the shopping bag, each bag will be charged 3 or 5 yen, and reusable bioplastic or plant-based plastic bags will not be subject to the regulations. The regulation has also successfully prompted some major food companies in the country to switch to more sustainable alternative packaging. For example, McDonald s Japan and Yoshinoya have both switched to bioplastics.
Starting from July 1, Japanese supermarkets, convenience stores, pharmacies and other retail stores began to levy disposable plastic shopping bags.
On the same day, Jakarta, Indonesia, located in Asia, also implemented a single-use plastic ban. According to the ban, all merchants and companies in shopping malls, supermarkets and traditional markets must provide environmentally friendly shopping bags. The Indonesian government introduced this new regulation for the use of environmentally friendly shopping bags in 2019. The new regulations require reusable shopping bags made of various ingredients, such as dried leaves, textiles, polyester and its derivatives, and even recycled materials. . The Jakarta government also requires online stores and markets to reduce the use of disposable plastic bags, especially through cooperation with its sales partners to reduce the use of disposable plastic bags.
From July 1st, Jakarta, Indonesia requires all merchants and enterprises in shopping malls, supermarkets and traditional markets to provide environmentally friendly shopping bags.
Prior to this, approximately four cities across Indonesia have implemented similar regulations, including Banjarmasin, Balikpapan, Bogor and Bali. The Indonesian government plans to reduce plastic waste by 70% by 2025.
In addition, since January 1, 2020, Thai department stores, supermarkets and convenience stores have banned the use of plastic bags. More than 20,000 stores and supermarkets have responded to this policy.
Africa: Kenyan protected areas ban the use of disposable plastic products
Kenya announced on the World Environment Day earlier that it banned the use of disposable plastic products, such as plastic bottles and straws, in national parks, beaches, forests and other protected areas. Before the outbreak of the new coronavirus, about 2 million tourists visited Kenya s national parks each year to watch rare animals or visit its magnificent coastline, bringing waste plastic pollution to these areas.
Kenya announced on the World Environment Day earlier that it would ban the use of disposable plastic products in national parks, beaches, forests and other protected areas.
Kenya s Minister of Tourism (Najib Balala) said in a statement: “This ban is another precedent for solving the problem of plastic pollution in Kenya and the world. We hope that the ban will lead to similar policies and actions in East Africa.”
The ban was appreciated by environmentalist Dipesh Pabari. Dipesh Pabari once initiated a project to build the world s first sailboat made entirely of plastic waste. The sailboat sailed 500 kilometers from the coast of Kenya to Tanzania in 2019 to arouse people s attention. Concerns about plastic pollution.
Another country in Africa that is at the forefront of the circular economy is Rwanda, which imposed a total ban on single-use plastic products at the end of last year. The production, import, sale and use of disposable plastic bags and other disposable plastic products, including disposable plastic containers, plastic bottles, straws, plastic tableware and balloons, are prohibited.
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