The following is thesituation of plastic ban in countries around the world:
Europe
EU
In July 2020, members of the European Commission agreed to impose a new political union tax on plastic packaging waste. The tax will be implemented on January 1, 2021. The tax amount will be calculated based on the weight of unrecycled plastic packaging waste. The tax standard is 0.80 euros (equivalent to 6.4 yuan) per kilogram of waste plastic.
UK
On October 1, the UK Environment Secretary announced that in order to protect the environment, the UK officially began to implement the ban on the use of plastic straws, plastic cotton swabs and plastic mixers. The 5 pence cost of disposable plastic bags will double to 10 pence.
Germany
The German cabinet agreed to end the sales of plastic products in many categories by July 3, 2021, including disposable tableware, plates, mixing rods and balloon racks, as well as polystyrene cups and boxes
France
In February 2020, France has begun to comprehensively upgrade the «plastic restriction order». The new act puts forward quantitative objectives for banning disposable plastic products and reducing plastic pollution, and plans a road map for banning disposable plastic products: completely prohibit the use of disposable plastic packaging by 2024, realize 100% plastic recycling by 2025, and halve the sales of disposable plastic bottles by 2030.
Netherlands
The Netherlands recently issued a regulation that will prohibit the use of a variety of disposable plastic products from July 3, 2021, in order to reduce marine waste plastic pollution. Prohibited products include plastic plates, tableware, blenders and straws.
Asia
Japan
From July 1, Japanese supermarkets, convenience stores, pharmacies and other retail stores began to levy fees on disposable plastic shopping bags. According to the volume of shopping bags, each bag will charge 3 or 5 yen, while reusable biological plastic or plant-based plastic bags will not be limited by the regulation.
Thailand
Since January 1, 2020, department stores, supermarkets and convenience stores in Thailand have banned the use of plastic bags, and more than 20000 stores and supermarkets have responded to this policy.
Africa
South Africa
In August 2020, the Ministry of agriculture, forestry and Fisheries of South Africa issued a draft amendment on phasing out specific types of plastic bags step by step in the national environmental management. The directive stipulates that plastic handbags and flat plastic bags must be manufactured with at least 50% of «post consumer recycling» from January 1, 2023; and 100% of post consumer recycling must be manufactured from January 1, 2027.
Rwanda
The country has implemented a comprehensive ban on disposable plastic products by the end of 2019. It is prohibited to produce, import, sell and use disposable plastic bags and other disposable plastic products, including disposable plastic containers, plastic bottles, straws, plastic tableware and balloons.
America
Canada
On October 7, Canada announced in that the government would prohibit the sale, supply or use of single-purpose plastic products in 2021, including plastic food bags, plastic straws, plastic mixing rods, six hole plastic packaging, plastic knives and forks and difficult to recycle plastic lunch boxes.
