Page 36 - Plastics News January 2021

internAtionAL news

Plastic bag ban begins in Delaware Interplas, now rescheduled to

on New Year's Day September 2021

elaware has implemented nterplas, UK's major plastics
Dits ban on Plastic bags Iindustry event that takes
from January 1,2021 aimed place once every three years
at reducing the plastic waste. at the NEC in Birmingham, has
This means stores will no longer once again been rescheduled.
be able to distribute single- The event was originally due
to take place at the end
use plastic bags. The Delaware of September in 2020, but
Department of Natural Resources was postponed to June 2021
and Environmental Control says due to the pandemic. The
consumers should bring reusable organizers- Rapid News Group,
bags to stores and clean/disinfect those bags between has announced its decision to reschedule Interplas,
uses. "The ban is designed to reduce beach and roadside the UK’s flagship event for the plastics industry, to
litter, save landfill space, increase recycling efforts and 28 – 30 September 2021. The venue for the event,
help recycling facilities from having to shut down when the NEC, Birmingham, UK remains unchanged. The
plastic bags get stuck in the machinery," officials said. organisers have moved quickly to secure these new
DNREC Secretary Shawn Garvin said “each Delaware dates to enable the community to plan for the next
resident uses approximately 434 plastic bags, which means period with confidence. The rescheduling of the show
that nearly 2,400 tons of plastic bags end up in the state's reflects the highest regard Rapid News Group places
landfills." Garvin said that however retailers can choose to on the health, safety and wellbeing of all attendees.
In order to ensure the event is demonstrably safe and
offer paper bags, or cloth bags, or a thicker type of plastic secure the UK and worldwide vaccine programmes
bag that is designed to be reusable. Or stores could decide must be given enough time to have their maximum
(as they always could have previously) not to provide bags effect. A September dateline offers more time for this
to customers at all. The law allows retail stores to charge programme to take effect and offers a better route
a fee for the bags they provide at point of sale. Officials to achieving and exceeding the aims of delivering a
explain, under the law aimed, plastic carryout bags will substantial community gathering to facilitate learning,
no longer be available from larger stores (more than networking and deliver value for confirmed exhibitors.
7,000 square feet) as well as smaller stores with at least Duncan Wood, CEO of Rapid News Group, said, “The
three locations in Delaware of 3,000 square feet each or latest information in the UK means the right thing to
more. Supermarkets and big-box stores are affected, as do is to reschedule the event to enable a further 13
well as chains of convenience stores. Restaurants are not weeks of vaccinations to take place ahead of the event.
subject to the ban, nor are small stores with one or two We are grateful to the NEC for working alongside us to
locations. “Each Delawarean uses about 434 plastic bags identify a new dateline.” Visitors will be able to see
the entire spectrum of moulding and forming machines
and that means nearly 2,400 tons of plastic bags end up in action as well as materials, automation, contract
in our landfills annually,” Environmental Secretary Shawn manufacturing and supporting technologies including
Garvin said.The change might come as a surprise to some software, testing, inspection, surface treatments and
shoppers.“I had no clue,” Donna Volger, 50, said earlier much more. Add to this a full three days of conferences
this month as she loaded groceries into her car at a Food from some of the industry’s leading brands, authorities
Lion in Dover. “I think they should give us a little bit more and organisations, as well as supplementary seminars,
warning instead of just walking in on New Year’s Day and networking workshops and events, a visit to Interplas
there’s no bags.”Volger, who said she will probably start ensures you will get value, insight and experience you
bringing her own box or bag with her on shopping trips, would not get at your desk. The show is endorsed and
nevertheless agrees with the intent of the law. supported by the UK plastics industry's leading trade
organisations and associations.

Plastics News Januar y 2021 36