China moves to ban single-use plastics across the country

Beijing: China, one of the world’s biggest users of plastic, has unveiled a major plan to reduce single-use plastics across the country, a media report said on Monday. The National Development and Reform Commission on Sunday issued the new policy, which will be implemented over the next five years, the BBC report said. Plastic bags will be banned across all cities and towns in 2022, though markets selling fresh produce will be exempt until 2025.

The production and sale of plastic bags that are less than 0.025 mm thick will also be banned. The restaurant industry must reduce the use of single-use plastic items by 30 percent, the Commission said. Hotels have been told that they must not offer free single-use plastic items by 2025. China has for years been struggling to deal with the rubbish its 1.4 billion citizens generate. The country’s largest rubbish dump - the size of around 100 football fields - is already full, 25 years ahead of schedule. (IANS)

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