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Taiwan ban single-use plastic straws, plastic bags, disposable utensils by 2030

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Re: Taiwan ban single-use plastic straws, plastic bags, disposable utensils by 2030

#151

Post by paulintrognon »

coldtea wrote: post #145
technofiend wrote: post #10

The UK dropped to 500 million bags annually used from 7 billion after introduction of a 5 pence per bag charge. That's just one country albeit one of the world's largest. Still I think we're over due for much more agressive action. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/jul/30/england-...

> The UK dropped to 500 million bags annually used from 7 billion after introduction of a 5 pence per bag charge. Still totally insignificant. A small plastic product packaging, of the kind everything comes in, has more plastic than 200 bags. https://goo.gl/images/cBp3zn Like TSA "security theater", this is "environmental theater".

But those can be recycled, can't they?

Re: Taiwan ban single-use plastic straws, plastic bags, disposable utensils by 2030

#152

Post by ekianjo »

neilni wrote: post #149

Seeing some of comments about price.. just thought I can put more info here since that's where I'm from and some points are not mentioned, especially the previous plastic reduction effort by Taiwan started in 2002. In 2002, the restriction on plastic bags that are thinner than 0.06mm was imposed to all stores, but it was not a complete ban. Stores that offer plastic bags thicker than 0.06mm need to charge customers.…

> You have to purchase government issued garbage bags if you want to throw your garbage out of your house

That's the case in many countries - in Japan for example. (not government issued but city-issued or prefecture-issued bags).

Re: Taiwan ban single-use plastic straws, plastic bags, disposable utensils by 2030

#153

Post by cabalamat »

kentosi wrote: post #131
technofiend wrote: post #10

The UK dropped to 500 million bags annually used from 7 billion after introduction of a 5 pence per bag charge. That's just one country albeit one of the world's largest. Still I think we're over due for much more agressive action. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/jul/30/england-...

Meanwhile when I moved here in New York I was shocked at the common practice of "double bagging" where they literally put a plastic bag into another plastic bag. The argument being that 1 bag isn't strong enough.

Then make stronger bags?

Re: Taiwan ban single-use plastic straws, plastic bags, disposable utensils by 2030

#154

Post by undersuit »

leetcrew wrote: post #94
oldcynic wrote: post #4

12 years? 12 months seems plenty. It's not like they need decades of research to reintroduce paper straws, paper bags and reusable bags. Edit: I'm confused now. "As of next year, food and beverage stores such as fast food chains must stop providing plastic straws for in-store use. From 2020, free plastic straws will be banned from all food and beverage outlets. From 2025, the public will have to pay for takeaway plas…

paper straws really suck, please don't let them be the solution.

What's the problem with paper straws?

Re: Taiwan ban single-use plastic straws, plastic bags, disposable utensils by 2030

#155

Post by ekianjo »

autokad wrote: post #132
kentosi wrote: post #131

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Meanwhile when I moved here in New York I was shocked at the common practice of "double bagging" where they literally put a plastic bag into another plastic bag. The argument being that 1 bag isn't strong enough.

if you ever had your milk go splat on the pavement after it went right through your plastic bag, then yeah, its not enough.

Why not bring your own (non-plastic) bag though?

Re: Taiwan ban single-use plastic straws, plastic bags, disposable utensils by 2030

#156

Post by celticninja »

paulintrognon wrote: post #151
coldtea wrote: post #145

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> The UK dropped to 500 million bags annually used from 7 billion after introduction of a 5 pence per bag charge. Still totally insignificant. A small plastic product packaging, of the kind everything comes in, has more plastic than 200 bags. https://goo.gl/images/cBp3zn Like TSA "security theater", this is "environmental theater".

But those can be recycled, can't they?

The clamshell type ones cannot.

Re: Taiwan ban single-use plastic straws, plastic bags, disposable utensils by 2030

#157

Post by yason »

Fifer82 wrote: post #26
technofiend wrote: post #10

The UK dropped to 500 million bags annually used from 7 billion after introduction of a 5 pence per bag charge. That's just one country albeit one of the world's largest. Still I think we're over due for much more agressive action. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/jul/30/england-...

I have about 20 pound worth of bags in the cupboard gathering dust, 5p doesn't make a difference. They should make it £1 in the UK from now and £5 from 2020. That will make a dent. 2030 is the same as saying "Lets kick the can down the road".

I do agree. I was just looking at the selection of regular-size bags today at my local Finnish grocery store:

- 0.20€ for a biodegradable bag - 0.20€ for a plastic bag

It's good that they offer bio bags that are no longer more expensive than plastic bags but it should definitely be the other way around.

If they priced bio bags at 0.20€ and plastic bags at 1.20€ you would not hesitate to guess whether people would move to carry their own reusable nylon/cotton bags or buy the biodegradable bags instead (or, rather, two of them instead of one plastic as they break more easily).

I rarely buy a new plastic bag myself but when I do I don't even blink at the 0.20€ price. The price should make me stop for a moment and reconsider.

Re: Taiwan ban single-use plastic straws, plastic bags, disposable utensils by 2030

#158

Post by drcross »

briandear wrote: post #141
skrause wrote: post #121

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Well, other developed countries don't have so many homeless people, so that should be less of a problem there.

> other developed countries don't have so many homeless people Not true. Here are per-night homeless statistics from UN: China has 2.6 million Russia has 5 million Ukraine 1 million Germany 860,000 US has 554,000 ... But more profoundely, by homeless ratio, the US is not even close. Germany, New Zealand, Czech Republic, Canada, the UK, Australia, Sweden, Luxembourg, Croatia, Bosnia, Russia, Peru France, Austria, the…

The US seems to have a higher rate of people sleeping rough than any other country outside of, possibly, Sri Lanka.

Re: Taiwan ban single-use plastic straws, plastic bags, disposable utensils by 2030

#159

Post by brazzy »

coldtea wrote: post #145
technofiend wrote: post #10

The UK dropped to 500 million bags annually used from 7 billion after introduction of a 5 pence per bag charge. That's just one country albeit one of the world's largest. Still I think we're over due for much more agressive action. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/jul/30/england-...

> The UK dropped to 500 million bags annually used from 7 billion after introduction of a 5 pence per bag charge. Still totally insignificant. A small plastic product packaging, of the kind everything comes in, has more plastic than 200 bags. https://goo.gl/images/cBp3zn Like TSA "security theater", this is "environmental theater".

Sorry, but that's complete nonsense.

A plastic shopping bag weighs about 5 grams. Plastic product packaging does not weigh 1kg, not even close.

Second, the shape does matter. Bags are especially bad because they are large, thin and soft, they're easier to be carried away by wind or water, and easier for animals to get tangled in or mistaken for food.

Re: Taiwan ban single-use plastic straws, plastic bags, disposable utensils by 2030

#160

Post by always_good »

qbrass wrote: post #114
PakG1 wrote: post #66

Earlier quoted context omitted.

At least they're biodegradable though? Plastic isn't really.

Plastic breaks down in oxygen and UV light. The problem is people keep burying them.

Well, they break down into small pieces that everything ingests.
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