International "plastic limit order" released

Regarding the "plastic restriction order", more than 30 countries around the world have begun to practice and prohibit the use of some single-use plastics. In recent decades, the pollution of the ecological environment by plastic products has become an increasingly serious international environmental problem. The American magazine "Science Progress" reported that so far, humans have produced more than 9.1 billion tons of plastic, most of which have been thrown into the garbage. landfill or ocean. At current rates, by 2050, more than 13 billion tons of plastic waste will end up in landfills or in natural environments like the ocean. That's equivalent to the combined weight of New York's 35,000 Empire State Buildings.

The City of Vancouver says plastic bags and straws each account for 3 per cent of local seaside waste each year. Every year, Canadians use up to 15 billion plastic bags and nearly 57 million straws every day. 3 million tons of plastic waste is thrown away, of which only 9% is recycled. The rest will be landfilled. Canadian Environment Minister Jonathan Wilkinson (Jonathan Wilkinson) announced in Gatineau (part of the Capital Special Administrative Region) on October 7, local time, that the federal government will ban single-use plastic products in 2021, including plastic food bags, plastic Six items, including straws, plastic cutlery and forks, plastic stirring rods, six-hole plastic packaging, and hard-to-recycle plastic lunch boxes, will not be sold, offered or used. But plastics used to make personal protective equipment or medical supplies would not be covered by the ban.

British Environment Secretary George Eustice (George Eustice) announced on October 1 that the UK will ban the use of single-use plastic straws, stirrers and cotton swabs, and it is illegal for companies to sell such items. The ban exempts hospitals, bars and restaurants from supplying plastic straws to people with disabilities or medical needs. The 5p fee for single-use plastic bags will be doubled to 10p and will be extended to all UK retail stores from April 2021.

Eustice said the UK was leading a broad programme of overseas activities, including through the Commonwealth Clean Seas Coalition and the Commonwealth Waste Scheme, aimed at preventing plastic waste from entering the ocean. The UK government has also pledged to launch a £500m 'Blue Planet Fund' to protect the oceans from plastic pollution, rising sea temperatures and overfishing.

The European Union is also joining: According to the German "Economic Weekly" report, the European Commission plans to propose a ban on the use of single-use plastic tableware, including plastic straws and plastic chopsticks.

According to EU data, about 26 million tons of plastic waste is produced in Europe every year, of which only 30% is recycled, while the remaining 70% is thrown into garbage heaps, waste incineration equipment or the natural environment.