Single-use plastics are polluting our landfills and waterways, killing marine life and ultimately contributing to the climate crisis. Here’s how 10 countries have made big changes to tackle the problem, and how you can tackle it too.
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Plastic pollution has officially become a worldwide health crisis. Almost 80 percent of the Earth’s plastic is currently littering our landfills and environment, and almost 13 tons end up in our oceans, according to Greenpeace. Some countries, like Peru and Australia, have severely restricted single-use plastics. Others, like Canada and Kenya, have banned them outright. As the U.S.A. waits for a federal-level policy on single-use plastics, here are some things you can do right now to start reducing your own plastic footprint at home.
ZIMBABWE, WHERE THE FOOD INDUSTRY WAS FORCED TO PHASE OUT PLASTIC
In 2017, officials in Zimbabwe decided to ban takeout containers made of expanded polystyrene (EPS), a non-recyclable styrofoam-like plastic that can literally take a million years to break down. The containers caused a sewer-clogging epidemic, and many of them were burned with the trash, making the air toxic to breathe. The ban was controversial among food vendors, but the threat of fines up to $5,000 got them to comply. The following year, Zimbabwe introduced legislation to outlaw all single-use plastics.
FRANCE, WHERE SINGLE-USE PLASTICS ARE PRACTICALLY NON-EXISTENT
France is quickly becoming a front-runner in the race to tackle climate change. The country took its first step toward a plastic-free future in 2015 by giving plastic bags the boot. The following year, it became the first nation to outlaw plastic cups, plates, and cutlery. By 2020, French folks will say au revoir to plastic straws, coffee stirrers, and cotton swabs, too. France’s progress has even inspired the entire EU to propose legislation that would ban single-use plastics across the union by 2021, and make all plastic packaging recyclable by 2030.
AUSTRALIA, WHERE PLASTIC BAGS ARE BEING BANNED BY THE BILLION
Two major Australian supermarket chains, Coles and Woolworths, led the charge in July 2018 to toss single-use plastic bags—and just three months later, the country reported an 80 percent reduction. The grand total of plastic bags kept out of landfills and waterways rang in at a staggering one and a half billion. Critics have panned the ban, saying it complicates the lives of Australian citizens, but that’s not stopping smaller supermarkets from starting to follow suit down under.
CANADA, WHERE THEY’RE MAKING UP FOR LOST TIME
Canada has its sights set on keeping plastic out of the oceans—and away from the fish, whales, turtles, and other marine animals that live there. The country has been inspired by the EU’s initiative and plans to enstate a single-use plastic ban by 2021. With less than 10 percent of Canada’s plastics currently being recycled, the nation is woefully behind on climate action, but they’re determined to catch up with this new legislation.
TUNISIA, WHERE STRAW BASKETS ARE THE NEW PLASTIC BAGS
The tiny nation of Tunisia is gearing up for a monumental 2020. On December 31, 2019, non-biodegradable plastic bags will be officially outlawed across the board—that means no producing, importing, selling or distributing whatsoever. The bold move follows a 2017 supermarket-only ban that saw a 94 percent reduction in plastic bags in the first year. Citizens didn’t have to look very far for an alternative, though. Tunisia’s traditional straw Koffa baskets were the obvious choice—and, frankly, the most stylish.
PERU, WHERE BOTTLES ARE BANNED ON THE BEACH
Earlier this year, Peru put the kibosh on single-use plastics—especially in vulnerable environments, like the beach. In parts of the country where you can still sip on bottles of Evian, the plastic must contain at least 15 percent recycled materials. Peru also announced a three-year plan in 2018; which means that single-use plastic products like bags, bottles, and straws will become a thing of the past.
RWANDA, WHERE PLASTIC BAGS ARE CONTRABAND
Imagine if plastic bags were so controversial, you risked public shaming just for carrying them. That’s precisely the case in Rwanda, where you can be fined, jailed, or forced into a public confession for attempting to smuggle in one of these plastic pariahs. Authorities drew a hard line in 2008 as part of its stellar effort to rebound from one of the worst genocides in history. The law ended up helping to boost the economy and earn Rwanda the title of Africa’s cleanest nation.
THE U.K., WHERE A 25-YEAR PLAN IS IN PLACE
The U.K. has a master plan for the next quarter-century: to “set the global standard” on plastic elimination by 2043. Their strategy seems to be small goals. Some of the steps the U.K. has taken to date include banning microbeads in soaps and toiletries, getting rid of plastic straws with the “Final Straw” law, and funding school programs to teach kids environmental awareness. According to former Prime Minister Theresa May, the amount of single-use plastic consumed in the U.K. each year “would fill 1,000 Royal Albert Halls.”
KENYA, WHERE A PLASTIC BAG COSTS $38,000 (AND A JAIL SENTENCE)
In 2017, Kenya became one of the first countries to outlaw single-use plastics—items you use once before tossing. It’s also arguably the strictest: if you’re caught carrying a plastic bag here, you could face a fine up to $38,000—or as many as four years in prison. But has it worked? According to Global Citizen, Kenya’s drastic plastic ban has been so effective, other African nations like Uganda and Tanzania are considering similar legislation.
TAIWAN, WHERE A BLANKET BAN WILL BANISH PLASTIC BY 2030
Single-use plastics are polluting our landfills and waterways, killing marine life, blocking our sewers, and ultimately contributing to climate change. Take your climate action cue from these 10 countries that are banning plastic.
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