International   

China to limit use of plastic bags

— PHOTO: Xinhua

BEATING WHITE POLLUTION: A customer with a cane basket at a supermarket in Suzhou city, east China’s Jiangsu province, on Friday.

BEIJING: The Chinese government will impose limits on the use of plastic bags starting on June 1, as part of its dual campaign to protect the environment and save energy.

In a circular posted on the central government’s Web site ( www.gov.cn) on Tuesday, the General Office of the State Council ordered a ban on the production, sale and use of ultra-thin bags (defined as less than 0.025 mm thick) as of June 1. Further, supermarkets and shops will be banned from giving free plastic bags to customers as of that date.

China thus joins many governments that have moved to limit the manufacture, sale and use of plastic bags, according to the circular “Our country consumes a large amount of plastic bags. While convenient for consumers, the bags also lead to a severe waste of resources and environmental pollution because of their excessive use and low rate of recycling,” said the circular. “The ultra-thin bags are the main source of ‘white’ pollution as they can easily get broken and end up as litter.” The campaign will encourage citizens to use fewer plastic bags. — Xinhua

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Chavez wins freedom for Colombian hostages
China to limit use of plastic bags
Shots at Benazir fired from a .30 gun: report
Diana killed for anti-mine campaign?
Sarkozy’s wife loses book case
Hamas rejects Bush’s promises
Superjumbo rolls off tarmac; damage “superficial”
The world’s tributes
Oil from algae a solution?
33-year-old woman spends months disguised as boy
Malaysian Indian leader shot dead

Copyright © 2008, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu