Thailand Proposes Ban on Single-Use Plastics

SEATTLE (Scrap Monster): The Southeast Asian country of Thailand announced its plans to ban use of single-use plastics by 2021. The guidelines for the proposed ban are being developed by the Environment Ministry, in consultation with various stakeholders. Thailand aims to achieve 100% use of recycled plastics by 2027.

Under the proposal, department and convenience stores will stop providing single-use plastic bags starting next year. Instead, customers will be provided with paper or cloth bags. The proposal targets to impose ban on three categories of plastics in addition to microbeads, cap seals and oxo-degradable plastics by end-2021. The other four plastics categories, lightweight plastic bags, styrofoam food containers, plastic cups, and plastic straws will be banned effective 2022.

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As per studies, Thailand ranks sixth in the list of world countries that dump most plastic waste into the sea. Estimates by Thailand’s Department of Environmental Quality Promotion suggest that an average Thai national generates 1.14 kilograms of garbage every day. Each person consumes nearly 8 plastic bags per day.