According to a survey conducted by the United Nations Environment Program on June 30, local time, at least 67 countries and regions have adopted restrictive measures to ban the production of disposable plastic products such as plastic shopping bags and foam lunch boxes that cause marine pollution. Charges.
Although there are some examples of supermarkets offering plastic shopping bags at a premium, the government has not adopted restrictions on prohibiting disposable plastic products or fees. At the G7 summit this month, Japan did not sign a plastic waste reduction target. The numerical file highlights the backwardness of the relevant measures.
The United States, which refuses to sign documents with Japan, has no restrictions at the federal government level, but many local governments such as California, Hawaii, and New York City have adopted restrictions. These include local governments in various states of India and Montreal, Canada. It is said that more than 100 local governments around the world have adopted measures such as banned plastic shopping bags.
According to the UNEP survey, in Africa, Rwanda, which issued a ban on the production, consumption, shipment and sales of plastic shopping bags in 2008, has been restricted by 25 countries for disposable plastic products.
There are also 20 countries in Europe, such as Italy, which banned the use of shopping bags other than biomaterials that are easily decomposed in the environment in 2011. It is said that especially after 2014, countries that have decided to ban or charge worldwide are increasing.
In 2008, China began to ban or provide plastic shopping bags nationwide. The use of large supermarkets was reported to have decreased by 6 to 80%. India also banned some plastic shopping bags in 2016.
UNEP pointed out that 'some countries do not have full and complete legal restrictions', and at the same time, the analysis said that 'in the increasingly serious situation, the number of countries and local governments that have adopted restrictions may increase in the future'.