Page 38 - Plastics News May 2019

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Britain to introduce the world's 1HZ <RUN 2I¿FLDOO\ %DQV 3ODVWLF

¿UVW SODVWLF WD[ IRU SURGXFWV PDGH Bags
up of less than 30 per cent recycled
ew York governor
material NAndrew Cuomo
signed into law a
ULWDLQ LV SUHVVLQJ DKHDG ZLWK WKH ZRUOG V ÀUVW SODVWLF statewide ban on
Btax because 'we can't go on' polluting the planet, the single-use plastic bags.
Treasury said. The plastic levy will be a major victory It is estimated that
for the environmentalists, who have led calls for action New York uses 23 billion
with its Turn the Tide on Plastic campaign. It will hit plastic bags every year
plastic manufacturers that with 50 percent of those
fail to include 30 per cent plastic bags ending up
recycled content. It will LQ ODQGÀOOV DQG DURXQG WKH FLW\ DQG ZDWHUZD\V *RYHUQRU
also provide a huge boost Cuomo signed the legislation on Earth Day, which will
to the recycling industry take effect next March. The new law comes after
by massively increasing Governor Cuomo implemented the New York State
demand for recycled plastic. Plastic Bag Task Force in March of 2017. The task
Treasury Secretary Robert force developed a long-term solution to the plastic
Jenrick said: 'Every single EDJ SUREOHP LQ WKH VWDWH 7KH ÀQDO UHSRUW GHWDLOHG WKH
day we're all polluting the plastic bag problem and solutions to implement.The
planet with items that can't be recycled. In the UK alone, new law would forbid stores to provide customers with
we buy 2 million tonnes of plastic each year. 'Less than single-use plastic bags, which are nonbiodegradable
half of that is recycled, and the rest goes straight into and have been blamed for everything from causing
ODQGÀOO VRPH RI ZKLFK PDNHV LWV ZD\ LQWR RXU VHDV DQG gruesome wildlife deaths to thwarting recycling efforts
RFHDQV DQG KDUPV PDULQH OLIH :H FDQ W JR RQ OLNH WKLV The ban include food takeout bags used by restaurants,
bags used to wrap deli or meat counter products and
Dumping half of all the plastic sold in the UK threatens
the natural world as well as being a huge waste of bags for bulk items. Newspaper bags would also be
resources, according to Treasury research. The need to exempted, as would garment bags and bags sold in
make use of plastic waste comes as China closes its doors bulk, such as trash or recycling bags."Throughout New
to the bulk of British plastic waste – making it all the York State, plastic bags have become a ubiquitous sight
on the landscape. They can be seen stuck in trees, as
PRUH XUJHQW WKDW ZH ÀQG ZD\V WR GHDO ZLWK LW LQ WKH 8.
Mr Jenrick said: 'I've seen it for myself when I've joined OLWWHU LQ RXU QHLJKERUKRRGV ÁRDWLQJ LQ RXU ZDWHUZD\V
and as a general aesthetic eyesore of our environment.
JURXSV OLNH 6XUIHUV $JDLQVW 6HZDJH RQ RXU EHDFKHV :H The plastic bag ban will not only reduce plastic bags
must play our part in tackling plastic waste and, as one
of the most innovative countries on earth, we need to LQ 1HZ <RUN ODQGÀOOV DQG ZDWHUZD\V EXW LW ZLOO DOVR
focus the power of the market on this challenge. That's eliminate an estimated 12 million barrels of oil used
why the Treasury has consulted on how we can introduce to make plastic bags used by New York each year. New
a tax on the producers of plastic packaging containing York is the third state to completely ban plastic bags
less than 30 per cent recycled material. Our aim is not after California and Hawaii. As the ban rolls out the
to raise money for the Exchequer, but to spur business Department of Environmental Conservation will work to
to invent and deploy better products.' Chancellor Philip limit the impact this ban has on low-income families. In
Hammond promised last year that the Government would the new ban counties and cities will be able to charge
D ÀYH FHQW IHH SHU VLQJOH XVH SDSHU EDJV ZKLFK ZLOO JR
VWRS PLOOLRQV RI WRQQHV RI SODVWLF JRLQJ WR ODQGÀOO RU toward the states Environmental Protection Fund and
incineration each year by introducing the tax.
the distribution of reusable bags.

40
Plastics News May 2019 38