The State Council, China’s cabinet, recently issued a directive banning the production of ultra-thin plastic bags for environmental reasons. The ruling also prohibits shops, supermarkets, and sales outlets nationwide from handing out free plastic bags starting on June 1, according to China News Agency. The imposition of fees on plastic bag usage is likely to influence consumer behavior in China and bring environmental benefits in the coming years.
People in China use up to 3 billion plastic bags daily and dispose of more than 3 million tons of the bags annually, according to Market News. Most of the carriers end up in unofficial dumping sites, landfills, or the environment. According to scientists, it can take more than 200 years for the bags to dissolve in the natural environment, contaminating land and water and injuring or killing wildlife in the process.