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Over the last several months, legislatures in Vermont, Maine, Oregon, Delaware, Connecticut, and New York passed bills that include bans on single-use plastic bags. Prior to the 2018/19 legislative session, only California had enacted a statewide single-use plastic bags ban; although, single-use plastic bags are banned in all counties in Hawaii.

California's single-use carryout bag ban became effective in November 2016. Under this law, most grocery stores, retail stores with a pharmacy, convenience stores, food marts, and liquor stores in the state may not provide single-use plastic carryout bags to their customers. However, retail establishments may provide customers with a certified reusable grocery bag or recycled paper bag at the point of sale for a charge of at least 10 cents.

New York's plastic bag ban is scheduled to take effect on March 1, 2020. The law bans most single-use plastic carry-out bags provided by grocery and other stores unless they are exempted. Exemptions include bags used to wrap uncooked meat, fish, or poultry; bags to hold food prepared to order; bags used by a customer for bulk items (e.g., fruits and vegetables); bags for carryout or delivered food, and food storage bags. The legislation also allows individual counties to charge five cents for paper bags. Governor Andrew Cuomo signed the legislation banning plastic bags on April 22, 2019. The ban was included in New York's FY 2020 budget.

Vermont's Act No. 69 (S.113) prohibits stores and food establishments from providing single-use plastic bags, effective July 1, 2020. Pharmacy bags for prescription medication; bags used inside a store to package loose items, frozen foods, meat, fish, or flowers; and dry-cleaning bags are exempted. The legislation also prohibits food service establishments from providing single-use plastic straws unless requested and bans the sale of expanded polystyrene food service products. The legislation was signed by Vermont Governor Phil Scott on June 17, 2019.

Maine's H.P. 1115 (LD 1352) bans retail establishments from providing customers with most single-use plastic bags, effective January 1, 2020. The legislation lists a number of exemptions, such as bags for prescription medication, bags for use within a store to package loose items, and dry-cleaning bags. Retail establishments may provide a recycled paper bag of reusable plastic bag for a fee of at least five cents per bag. Governor Janet Mills signed LD 1352 on June 17, 2019.

Oregon's HB 2509 bans retail establishments and restaurants from providing customers single-use checkout bags. Certain bags are exempted, such as bags for produce, meat, fish and dry cleaning. Stores may provide paper checkout bags, reusable fabric checkout bags, or reusable plastic checkout bags for at least five cents each. The ban becomes effective in January 2020. Oregon Governor Kate Brown signed HB 2509 into law on June 20, 2019.

Delaware's HB 130 bans bags that are "made from non-compostable plastic and not specifically designed and manufactured to be reusable" effective January 1, 2021. Exceptions include plastic bags to wrap damp items like frozen foods, bags to transport chemicals, and dry-cleaning bags. Governor John Carney plans to sign the bill this month, most likely on July 18, according to his office.

Connecticut's biennium budget for 2019-21 ( H.B. 7424) imposes a 10-cent tax on single-use plastic bags that are less than four mils thick between August 1, 2019 and June 30, 2021 and bans them after July 1, 2021 (see Sec. 355). Plastic bags used for to hold meat, seafood, loose produce, or unwrapped food items; newspaper bags; and laundry or dry-cleaning bags are exempted from both the tax and the ban. The budget, which was signed by Governor Ned Lamont on June 26, 2019, allows stores to charge customers a fee for single-use paper bags. Furthermore, municipalities with existing bag bans may keep them in place.

© 2020 Keller and Heckman LLP

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Over the last several months, legislatures in Vermont, Maine, Oregon, Delaware, Connecticut, and New York passed bills that include bans on single-use plastic bags. Prior to the 2018/19 legislative session, only California had enacted a statewide single-use plastic bags ban; although, single-use plastic bags are banned in all counties in Hawaii.

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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 France and Kenya, are banning 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.

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These 10 Countries Will Inspire You To Stop Your Single-Use Plastic Habit - Great Big Story

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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.

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DENVER -- Even though plastic is filling whales' stomachs, turtles' nostrils and waterways across the United States, we are churning out more of it and recycling less of it every year. Each day, on average, U.S. homes and businesses throw out enough plastic to fill up 1.5 football stadiums. We only recycle 8 percent, with the rest ending up in landfills, incinerators or our environment, threatening wildlife and human health.

Hundreds of municipalities and a handful of states have taken action to ban or restrict single-use plastics. Building on that progress, earlier this month, Sen. Tom Udall (NM) and Rep. Alan Lowenthal (CA) introduced the most sweeping federal plastics legislation ever -- a compilation of the most effective policies across the country. But with passage unlikely this year, states and municipalities will need to continue to lead in fighting plastic pollution.

That's why U.S. PIRG Education Fund, Environment America Research & Policy Center and Frontier Group released comprehensive fact sheets about plastic pollution on Thursday. Banning Single-Use Plastics puts forward specific policies to ban or restrict the worst plastic pollution, including plastic bags, foam cups and containers, and plastic straws and utensils.

"The scope of our plastic problem might be huge, but the answer is actually pretty simple," said Alex Truelove, Zero Waste Program director for U.S. PIRG Education Fund. "At the local, state and national level, the most effective way to reduce the amount of plastic flooding into our oceans and overloading our waste management systems is to ban the worst offenders. After all, if your bathtub is overflowing, you turn off the tap."

In particular, plastic pollution is wreaking havoc on ocean ecosystems. Enough plastic enters the oceans every year to fill five grocery bags stacked on every foot of coastline around the world. That suffocating plastic harms -- and even kills -- marine animals in huge numbers. Almost half of all seabird and marine mammal species have been affected.

"We can't allow plastic products we use for five minutes to pollute our oceans and endanger our whales, dolphins and sea turtles for centuries," said Environment America Research & Policy Center Oceans Advocate Kelsey Lamp. "With progress at the national level a way off, we need local and state governments across the country to put wildlife over waste and ban these single-use products."

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The best way to fight plastic pollution? Ban single-use plastics. | U.S. PIRG

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U.S. PIRG Education Fund, Environment America Research & Policy Center and Frontier Group released comprehensive fact sheets about plastic pollution on Thursday. Banning Single-Use Plastics puts forward specific policies to ban or restrict the worst plastic pollution, including plastic bags, foam cups and containers, and plastic straws and utensils.

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The statewide ban of single-use plastic bags in New York is fast approaching.

As of Sunday, March 1, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo's legislation goes into effect, banning plastic bags statewide.

According to Cuomo, New Yorkers use billions of plastic bags annually, which do not biodegrade, creating massive amounts of litter in neighborhoods and waterways and posing a threat to the health of area residents and the environment. The ban is expected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions associated with plastic bag production and disposal.

Once supplies of plastic bags are finished, reusable bags made of cloth or other machine-washable fabric or non-film plastic material will be required to be used and provided by retailers.

The new regulations released this week will allow stores to issue plastic bags if they are washable, can be used at least 125 times, carry 22 pounds over at least 175 feet, and have an attached strap that doesn't stretch with normal use. Regulators also proposed that any reusable plastic bags be at least one-hundredth of an inch thick.

In response, some retailers have been offering free reusable bags that can be used for shopping at New York stores. They have also arranged information tables and forums to answer questions about the ban.

It is estimated that a paper bag shortfall could last upwards of five years, and there have been reports of outages in the Midwest due to retailers attempting to bolster their supplies. Fear of shortages has led to store owners attempting to find short and long-term solutions.

Experts estimate that New York will require four billion bags - approximately 52 percent of all the production capacity in North America - to comply with the new law.

New York joins California, Oregon, and Hawaii as the only states where single-use plastic bags have been banned. Single-use paper bags will still be available for a five-cent fee.

"You see plastic bags hanging in trees, blowing down the streets, in landfills and in our waterways, and there is no doubt they are doing tremendous damage," Cuomo said last year. "Twelve million barrels of oil are used to make the plastic bags we use every year and by 2050 there will be more plastic by weight in the oceans than fish. We need to stop using plastic bags, and today we're putting an end to this blight on our environment."

New York joins California and Hawaii as the only states where single-use plastic bags have been banned.

According to the United Nations Environment Programme, single-use plastic bags are one of the top five single-use plastics found in the environment by magnitude, and they are one of the top five items encountered in coastline clean-ups.

Between 500 billion and one trillion plastic bags are consumed worldwide each year, according to the United States Environmental Protection Agency. Less than 1 percent of plastic bags are recycled in the United States and they are not acceptable at certain recycling centers.

The EPA estimates that 80 percent of plastic pollution in the ocean originated on land, which includes plastic bags, and in New York, residents use 23 billion plastic bags annually, which contributes to pollution both on and off land. These bags do not biodegrade and they persist for years.

"Plastic pollution has become a serious threat to our lakes, rivers and marine environment as well as public health. Scientists are finding plastic pollution in shellfish and finfish, making its way to our dinner plates," Citizens Campaign for the Environment Executive Director Adrienne Esposito said. "Giving up plastic bags and using reusable bags is one easy, reasonable step each member of the public can take to help combat the plastic pollution epidemic. It is time for everyone to get on the plastic bag 'ban wagon."

"More than just an eyesore, plastic bags are a major source of pollution and cause tremendous environmental damage. The 23 billion plastic bags used by New Yorkers each year get stuck in our trees, blow along our beaches and parks, and endanger our marine and wildlife," Sen. José Serrano, Chair of Committee on Cultural Affairs, Tourism, Parks and Recreation, said. "For the last decade, I have been working with my colleagues to reduce or eliminate plastic bag use in New York and I am thrilled to see the enactment of this statewide ban, making New York one of the leading states to tackle this important issue."

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Here's When Ban On Single-Use Plastic Bags Takes Effect In NY

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The statewide ban of single-use plastic bags in New York is fast approaching. As of Sunday, March 1, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo's legislation goes into effect, banning plastic bags statewide. According to Cuomo, New Yorkers use billions of plastic bags annually, which do not biodegrade, creating massive amounts of litter in neighborhoods and waterways and posing a threat to the health of area residents and the environment.

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Millions of tons of plastic enter the environment every year, killing wildlife, releasing toxins, clogging drains, and marring landscapes. Bans or restrictions on single-use plastics-most commonly bags and straws-have exploded in popularity recent years as a means of addressing these problems. Over 125 nations and 240 U.S. cities and counties have banned or taxed plastic bags, several cities have banned or otherwise restricted the use of plastic straws, and several private companies, including Starbucks, have also taken steps to reduce their straw usage in response to widespread consumer pressure.

Yet, these bans remain controversial. Some businesses have pushed back against what they consider excessive regulation. Those in opposition have noted that some populations, including those with disabilities, may require the use of a plastic straw, and that taxes on plastic bags may constitute a regressive tax. Even the environmental benefits are far from certain: when plastic shopping bags are banned, use of other bags that are potentially worse for the environment -including thicker plastic bags using more plastic, or paper bags, with a larger carbon footprint - increases. Others maintain that banning single-use plastics uses valuable political capital that could instead be spent advancing more urgent and system agendas like transitioning to a low-carbon economy.

Our panelists explored the benefits and challenges of an increasingly popular, and increasingly contentious, approach to the problem of plastic pollution.

Panelists:
Lillian Power, Environmental Protection Specialist, District of Columbia Department of Energy & Environment (DOEE), Moderator Catherine Plume, Principal, BlueGreen Plume, LLC and Managing Director, (r)evolve
Matt Seaholm, Executive Director, American Progressive Bag AllianceJean-Cyril Walker, Partner, Keller and Heckman LLP

ELI members will have access to materials/a recording of this session (usually posted w/in 48 hours). If you are not an ELI member but would like to have access to archived sessions like this one, go HERE to see the many benefits of membership and how to join.

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Millions of tons of plastic enter the environment every year, killing wildlife, releasing toxins, clogging drains, and marring landscapes. Bans or restrictions on single-use plastics-most commonly bags and straws-have exploded in popularity recent years as a means of addressing these problems. Over 125 nations and 240 U.S.

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(WXYZ) - With a new year comes new laws.

The ban on single-use straws is gaining popularity and causing controversy in Canada, Europe and in the United States.

Off the heels of the first big viral video of the new year -- a McDonald's customer attacking an employee in St. Peterburg, Florida allegedly over a straw -- there could be more brawls like it in 2019 as more plastic straw bans go into effect.

In 2019, California restaurants face a $25 fine if caught offering plastic straws to customers. Washington D.C.'s law bans single use plastic straws, as well as drink stirrers. New York City's new law bans Styrofoam to-go containers, but the mayor says straws are the next to go.

Some wonder if Michigan could be next?

"I think it's nonsense, and I think you should just get a new straw every single time," said Josh Potrykus.

Josh Potrykus and his friends are on different sides of the Straw Law

"If they were to say no more plastic straws, you have to bring your own, oh I'm fine with that, save the environment save the world."

Proponents of the straw ban say it will reduce pollution, while opponents say it wont reduce pollution by much.

"Protect our rights for straws and for a safe and clean environment."

Here are few places to get your own reusable straw:

Other cities and states already have versions of the Straw Law, and many companies are phasing them out voluntarily.

Starbucks plans to phase them out by 2020, and Alaska Airlines announced they will be one of the first airlines to phase out straws and stirrers.

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Possible ban on single-use plastic straws becoming more divided in Michigan

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(WXYZ) - With a new year comes new laws. The ban on single-use straws is gaining popularity and causing controversy in Canada, Europe and in the United States. Off the heels of the first big viral video of the new year -- a McDonald's customer attacking an employee in St.

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Of all the epidemics that plague us in modern living, the plague of single-use plastics seems to be the most pervasive. In homes, in offices, in restaurants, in public and private spaces, it would seem that we cannot do without these. Plastic bags, straws, disposable cups, etc, they seem to be mainstays of our daily convenience and we are loath to get rid of them. Nonetheless, as citizens of a world that is slowly getting choked by the plastic, we consume and dispose of, we need to get serious about doing away with plastics, especially Single-Use Plastics.
How are the government and the authorities tackling the plastic menace?
India seems set to take serious action against the use of Single Use Plastics (SUPs) from October 2. The crackdown against SUPs will include plastic bags, cups, straws, and other such items.

The Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, had in his Independence Day speech this year, urged citizens and agencies to "take the first big step" towards ridding the country of single-use plastic by October 2, and to stop using Single-Use Plastic products in the effort to reduce the use and waste of these. This is being increasingly seen as a clear indication of the government's seriousness towards the eradication of SUPs in our consumption patterns.

According to Union Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar, "From October 2, we will begin an attempt to collect all that waste. Nearly 10,000 tonnes of plastic waste remains uncollected."

Interestingly, the Indian railways have just announced that railway passengers will be soon be served tea, snacks, and meals in kulhads and other earthenware plates at 400 major stations across the country in support of the move to make India plastic-free. To this end, the Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) provide 30,000 electric potter wheels and also grinding machines to recycle/crush the earthenware, according to its chairman Vinai Kumar Saxena quoted by the PTI.
ALSO READ: How Air Pollution Is Giving Our Kids Skin Problems Too
"We are giving 30,000 potter wheels this year which can be used to produce 2 crore kulhads and other terracotta utensils daily," he said. According to the news report, the Ministry of Railways has already directed all Principal Chief Commercial Managers of different Zonal Railways and CMD IRCTC to promote the use of locally produced environmentally friendly terracotta items as catering items across 400 railways stations of the Indian Railways. The earlier initiative by the KVIC, namely the Kumhaar Sashaktikaran Yojana, has been much lauded for the benefits it has provided potters by promoting the use of pottery products. The Indian Railways has already been using pottery products in two stations in Uttar Pradesh.
Why should we reconsider our dependence on Single-Use Plastics?
According to statistics provided by the Environment Ministry, we generate about 20,000 tonnes of plastic waste every single day in India and of this only 13,000-14000 tonnes are collected for disposal.

Single use plastics are being increasingly recognised as the biggest cause of ocean pollution, killing marine life and entering the human food chain, proving to be detrimental to health and the cause of chronic diseases. By 2021, the European Union will ban single-use plastic items, and in China, Shanghai is clamping down on these too. In India, the widespread use of plastic and the lack of proper waste management systems for plastic wastes has lead to a crisis of plastic waste litter across urban centres.

India consumes over 14 million tonnes of plastic every year. While polythene bags are already banned in some states, it is time for this ban to be spread nationwide. We already see the use of plastic indiscriminately by e-retail companies in their packaging.

According to statistics provided by the Environment Ministry, we generate about 20,000 tonnes of plastic waste every single day in India and of this only 13,000-14000 tonnes are collected for disposal.
Why should we look at eliminating single-use plastics from our lives as consumers?
Plastic takes a lot of resources and energy to create. Non-renewable resources like crude oil, gas, and coal goes into the production and transportation of plastic. These plastics also take a very long time to break down in the environment once disposed of. They not only harm the environment but also injure or kill birds, animals and sea life. Many sea creatures have been found dead with plastic in their stomachs.
ALSO READ: Toxic Cities: Do We Even Wonder Where Our Garbage Goes?
The plastics which make it to landfills take a long time to break down and stay in the environment for years. According to research, there is 100 times more plastic in the ocean today than there was a decade ago. The United Nations Ocean Conference estimated that the oceans might contain more weight in plastics than fish by the year 2050. Eighty percent of all the plastic pollution in the ocean is the result of garbage that gets blown in the breeze from landfills, street litter or illegally dumped trash. The Great Pacific Plastic Patch is a real phenomenon and is growing despite all efforts to contain it. "Researchers from The Ocean Cleanup project claimed that the patch covers 1.6 million square kilometers. The plastic concentration is estimated to be up to 100 kilograms per square kilometer in the center, going down to 10 kilograms per square kilometer in the outer parts of the patch. An estimated 80,000 metric tons of plastic inhabit the patch, totaling 1.8 trillion pieces. 92% of the mass in the patch comes from objects larger than 0.5 centimeters, while 94% of the total objects are represented by microplastics. Some of the plastic in the patch has been found to be over 50 years old, and includes fragments of and items such as "plastic lighters, toothbrushes, water bottles, pens, baby bottles, cell phones, plastic bags, and nurdles". It is estimated that approximately "100 million tons of plastic are generated [globally] each year," and about 10% of that plastic ends up in the oceans. The United Nations Environmental Program recently estimated that "for every square mile of the ocean," there are about "46,000 pieces of plastic". The small fibers of wood pulp found throughout the patch are "believed to originate from the thousands of tons of toilet paper flushed into the oceans daily." The patch is believed to have increased "10-fold each decade" since 1945."
Why citizens, citizen-led initiatives and pledges can make all the difference in the battle to reduce plastic consumption.
Says Shishir Joshi, Chief Executive Officer and Founder, Project Mumbai, "We at Project Mumbai launched the Mumbai Plastic Recyclothon-Ek Baar Phir" as a sequel to a similar to last year's effort where we urged people to donate plastic (any kind of plastic) which we would do a free pick up and then our commitment to recycle the plastic into amenities for the city. Imagine being able to tell someone that the bottle/spoon that I donated, is not a bench in the local park. What we are planning this time (from October 2 to October 8) is also gift a cloth bag to every donor, the message being, it is high time we start carrying a cloth bag, either in our motorbikes or cars or purses, so that people are not compelled to accept plastic bags from vendors. For us, this initiative is a combination of a call to action-behavioural change as well as creating a social transformation through initiatives of scale.

All that a person has to do is simply register on www.projectmumbai.org and be a part of this for a free pick up. We have also urged schools and colleges to create Plastic Daanavs (monsters) which will coincide with Dussehra and when our pickups take place. These monsters will be judged basis the message, quantity, and participation. We will help dismantle these monsters and create an amenity for the participating school/college free of cost."
ALSO READ: Four Women Tell Us How They're Reducing Their Carbon Footprint
The mindset that plastic is necessary has to go. Says Chinu Kwatra, Founder Beach Warriors, "Single-use plastic is not needed nowadays! There are many other options available for the people. And I feel we are responsible for this Ban, if we took the plastic menace seriously then this ban wouldn't have been in the picture. We have stopped recycling and upcycling. We litter openly. So the government has to take some action. I honestly welcome this move of the plastic ban which will change the mindset of the people and force them to avoid using single-use plastic."

While plastic does have some convenience and merit, citizens need to be made aware of the long term impact of its use. Says environmentalist, Priyanka Joshi, "As plastic has some good merits like lightweight, anti-contamination, water-resistant, strong, it is not easy to remove single-use plastic entirely from our life. We can use it wisely with mottos like reduce, reuse, recycle, repair, return, etc. More alternatives to plastics should be adopted. We need to understand where the plastic waste will go in the end before using it."

I feel we are responsible for this Ban, if we took the plastic menace seriously then this ban wouldn't have been in the picture. We have stopped recycling and upcycling. - Chinu Kwatra

Only enforcement from the authorities is definitely not the solution until people adopt this ban wholeheartedly. Dharmesh Shah, Plastic Policy Advisor with Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA), says, "I think that the biggest one we face is in terms of the enforcement infrastructure. We are all no strangers to this. The classic example of this is Chennai where a ban was announced earlier this year but a walk in the market is enough to verify it's effectiveness. Having said that, I still think we need to have such items banned on books. The other challenge is the lack of coordination among different agencies, while a ban is on its the imperative of the agencies like the Pollution Control Boards to crackdown on the manufacturing of such items. There is no point of a ban otherwise."

Says Saher Bhamla, student, eco champ and volunteer with the Bhamla Foundation that works on environmental awareness and waste management issues, "Single-use plastic is a nuisance to the environment simply because it is nonbiodegradable, we have become addicted to single-use plastic. They make way to the stomach of animals, while they try to eat from what is within, affect human bodies and deteriorate the environment. We make more than 8.3 billion tonnes of plastic worldwide every year out of which a major portion goes in single-use plastic. Is it really worth using single-use plastic when there are no benefits? I think that change should be made individually first! One person should cut down as much plastic as possible from their daily life for a sustainable lifestyle and environment so that the future generations don't face the aftermath of our ignorant actions and this world can be a better place to live in."
ALSO READ: How Pollution Affects Kids: Development Delay, Stunted Growth
Says Bharati Chaturvedi, Founder Chintan.org, "It definitely would be a huge challenge to get rid of single-use plastics. We have a huge number of single-use plastics and users might be unwilling to give them up. The way I look at it, let us do it in stages, I'm waiting to see what the government decides to ban initially. I think what would be good would be to start with things that are easy to get rid of, in Phase one. In Phase two, let's look at things that are more difficult to get rid of. Our challenges are I think first of all understanding. We have to make it very clear as to what is not allowed. We've got to have a central task force, and task-forces in cities, so that anything new let's get approvals all the time, we can't keep getting defeated by the plastics industry. A great thing that can come out of it is, creating new jobs. Creating new green jobs is important, we're in a climate emergency, we need to dematerialize. Even things like straws, why do we need straws, we can drink as well without them, we really need to look at the ecological cost of these, not just plastic but also paper. What is really important is whether we are ready to take this to the next level, that would be the way forward. Finally, I'm very excited about this because it is a good way to get Indians to think about using fewer materials all the time. It's time for us to take the step and I'm glad that India is showing the world that even in a country with so much poverty we are taking this plastic menace really seriously."

Citizen-led initiatives can always make all the difference. Shishir Joshi speaks about why their initiative has worked. He says, "Increasingly, Mumbaikars want to give their time and services for a good cause. Most want to be part of social change. The problem has been a trust deficit, whom to support or which cause to pick. The moment there is a vested interest, people back off. What we at Project Mumbai have strived for is to ensure every initiative is not only participative but collaborative and which directly impacts people's lives. We want people of Mumbai to reclaim ownership to this city once again. As we at Project Mumbai say-Mumbai Ke Liye Kucch Bhi Karega."

Single-use plastic is a nuisance to the environment simply because it is nonbiodegradable, we have become addicted to single-use plastic. Saher Bhamla

About taking the pledge to stop using single-use plastics, Bharati Chaturvedi feels that pledges do have a role to play even if they might seem like tokenism. She says, "We all take pledges all the time, civil servants, in courts, etc. Not all pledges convert into real action. This message must get repeated by multiple people, through multiple media, so it gets drummed in that plastics are not a good thing and let's get rid of single-use plastics. Something as all-pervasive as plastics, backed by the might of the plastics industry, really needs a tsunami to shake it up. A pledge has a role in creating public confidence, in backing innovation even in sacrifice, I would say."
ALSO READ: Water Pollution: Why We Must Consider This Part Of The Water Crisis How can you, as a citizen, pledge to be a part of the movement to remove single-use plastics?
It is quite simple.

Refuse to be a consumer of disposable plastic items. Buy items that are not packaged in plastic. Refuse disposable straws, buy and carry your own reusable steel straw if you must use a straw. Buy or make cloth bags for your grocery purchases instead of opting for store available plastic bags.

Opt for goods that come packaged in paper, cardboard or cloth instead of plastic.

Re-Use. Find items that can be re-used. Opt for glass, steel, wood, metal or ceramic over plastic items. Carry along your own re-usable mug with a lid or bottle for coffee takeaways.

Call out excessive plastic packaging when you see it. Make companies and e-retailers aware that as a consumer you are not pleased with their plastic consumption.

And finally, become a fervent advocate of recycling. See what items you own that can be re-cycled, and be aware of what can be recycling when you purchase them.

Carry along a container for takeaway or leftover food when visiting restaurants. Build a collection of re-usable containers you can use to store food items.

And finally, be a more aware consumer.
ALSO READ: Toxic Cities: How Every Citizen Can Be A Pollution Fighter

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Why We Need To Do Away With Single-Use Plastics As Consumers

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Of all the epidemics that plague us in modern living, the plague of single-use plastics seems to be the most pervasive. In homes, in offices, in restaurants, in public and private spaces, it would seem that we cannot do without these.

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Single-use Plastic Ban - Behind the News

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A Senate inquiry into Australia's recycling crisis has recommended that all single-use plastics - which could potentially include takeaway containers, chip packets and coffee cups with plastic linings - be banned by 2023.

The wide-ranging report also recommends the establishment of a national container deposit scheme as a response to an unfolding crisis in Australian recycling that forced some councils to tip their recycling into landfill.

The report sets out a blueprint to create a "circular economy" - where all materials used in Australia are then recovered and reused domestically.

Greens senator Peter Whish-Wilson, who chaired the inquiry, said it was "a rare display of political consensus" across Labor, Liberal and the Greens.

"The Senate has laid down a clear pathway for Australia to create a circular economy and stop piles of plastic, paper and glass being stockpiled or heading to landfill," he said.

While the report did not define what single-use plastics could be banned, senator Whish-Wilson said it could include takeaway containers, chip packets, plastic bags and coffee cups with plastic linings.

Australian recycling is in crisis after China announced it would no longer buy the majority of our recyclable material, starting from this year.

Previously, up to 50% of all Australian recycling was being sold to China, because the lack of a domestic market for recyclables could not meet the volume of recycling we were creating.

But on 1 January, new conditions meant China would no longer buy 99% of the 1.27 million tonnes that Australia had previously exported there.

The unsold recycling began piling up in collection centres, or being dumped in landfill. States have stepped in with emergency funding to ensure collection companies continued to pick up recycling, but only on six or 12 month contracts.

Tuesday's report says the long term solution is to create a circular recycling economy, cut down on waste generation and fund infrastructure to recycle domestically.

"It appears that Australians are more likely to be enthusiastic recyclers than they are at seeking to avoid waste generation," the report said. "The increasing amounts of material generated for recycling is placing the recycling industry under pressure."

Gayle Sloan, the chief executive of the Waste Management Association of Australia, told the committee Australia was being "left behind the rest of the developed world" in failing to create a circular economy.

"For every one job involved in landfill and 10,000 tonnes of waste, over four are created by resource recovery," she said.

Record emissions keep Australia on path to missing Paris target
The report also calls on the government to prioritise waste reduction over controversial waste-to-energy plans, to establish a national container deposit scheme, and for government departments to set mandatory targets for using recycled material.

Whish-Wilson said: "Never before have I seen every stakeholder, from right across the economy, call for national leadership on an issue. This report lays bare the need for federal government action and underlines why it can no longer sit on the sidelines."

The report also found that a national container deposit scheme would "inherently improve" the quality of recycling and lower its cost. It said the price of glass collected from South Australia, whose container deposit scheme has been running since 1977, was worth three times as much as glass collected from other states' kerbside bins.

In 2014-15, Australia generated 64 million tonnes of waste - both household and commercial - of which 58% was recycled. In April, a Coag meeting of state and federal environment ministers, who met to discuss the recycling crisis, already agreed to make all Australian packaging sustainable by 2025.

Tuesday's report concluded the current recycling crisis offered an opportunity to reform Australia's waste system that was "too important to be missed".

"While China's decision to restrict the import of certain categories of waste has triggered the current crisis in the Australian waste management sector, in fact, there have been underlying problems in the sector for some time," it said.
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All single-use plastics should be banned by 2023 Senate inquiry recommends

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A Senate inquiry into Australia's recycling crisis has recommended that all single-use plastics - which could potentially include takeaway containers, chip packets and coffee cups with plastic linings - be banned by 2023. The wide-ranging report also recommends the establishment of a national container deposit scheme as a response to an unfolding crisis in Australian recycling that forced some councils to tip their recycling into landfill.