There are a number of things that governments can do to stem the toxic tide — from running public awareness campaigns, to offering incentives for recycling, and introducing levies or even banning certain plastic products outright.
Dozens of national and local governments around the world have already adopted policies to reduce the use of disposable plastic. And the number continues to grow. Here are some tide-turning national governments and city authorities: (from Single-Use Plastics: A Roadmap for Sustainability and news outlets)
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China
China is the world’s top marine plastic polluter and vast amounts of plastic waste are also buried in landfills or dumped in rivers. In 2008, China introduced a ban on bags thinner than 25 microns and a levy on thicker ones. This promoted the use of durable cloth bags and shopping baskets. One year later, the use of plastic bags had fallen by on average 70 per cent, avoiding the use of 40 billion bags. Within seven years, the number of plastic bags used by supermarkets and shopping malls fell by two-thirds, although plastic bags can still be found, especially in rural areas and farmers’ markets due to weak enforcement. In January 2020, China unveiled plans to ban non-degradable bags in major cities by the end of 2020 and in all cities and towns by 2022. Restaurants will also be banned from using single-use plastic straws by the end of 2020, according to the policy released by the state planner, the National Development and Reform Commission. Markets selling fresh produce will, however, be exempt from the bag ban until 2025, while hotels have been told they must not offer free single-use plastic items by 2025. China is also boosting recycling rates and building dozens of “comprehensive resource utilisation” bases to ensure that more products are reused.
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Costa Rica
On World Environment Day 2017, Costa Rica said it aimed to become the first country in the world to ban all single-use plastics by 2021, announcing a national strategy to phase out all single-use plastics and replace them with alternatives that biodegrade within six months. The aim is to eliminate plastic bags, bottles, cutlery, straws, Styrofoam containers and coffee stirrers.
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Chile
In 2017, under the presidency of Michelle Bachelet, Chile banned the use of plastic bags in 100 coastal communities. It also joined the Clean Seas campaign that year, and in 2018 it became the first South American country to ban single-use plastic bags. The legislation gave major retailers one year to stop using plastic bags while small shops had two years to adapt. Those who do not comply will face a US$370 fine.