"New plastic economy" solves the difficulty of reducing plastic

Earlier, the South Korean government stipulated that consumers should not provide disposable cups when they enjoy drinks in cafes
.
Since August 1 this year, the Ministry of Environment of South Korea has begun to implement a policy of reducing the use of plastic products.
If businesses directly provide disposable cups without asking customers for their opinions, they will be fined
.
In addition, from 2021, take-out packages and disposable tableware provided by cafes will be prohibited from being provided for free
.
From 2022, supplies such as plastic straws and plastic stirring rods will also be completely banned
.

The South Korean government said that for manufacturers who suffered losses in the policy of restricting the use of disposable products, a certain "business transformation subsidy" will be issued to compensate for some of their business losses
.
For businesses in coffee shops and traditional markets, the South Korean government plans to provide support by providing tableware cleaning equipment
.

At the beginning of this year, China's National Development and Reform Commission and the Ministry of Ecology and Environment issued the "Opinions on Further Strengthening the Control of Plastic Pollution" requiring that by the end of 2020, the catering industry nationwide will ban the use of non-degradable disposable plastic straws
.
Experts believe that although the output of plastic straws only accounts for 0.
036% of the total output of plastic products, its attention is high, and the ban will have a strong demonstration effect on the whole society
.

Helping environmental protection enterprises to promote the "new plastic economy"

In January 2016, the World Economic Forum in Davos released a report entitled "New Plastics Economy - Rethinking the Future of Plastics", which for the first time proposed the vision of establishing a circular economy for plastics.
Let plastic never become waste
.
As countries around the world gradually increase their efforts to limit plastics, relevant companies have also innovated technologies, developed related environmentally friendly products, and advanced the vision of the plastics economy into reality through actions
.

At the National Plastics Summit Australia 2020, the industry made several key announcements, showcasing how businesses can help tackle the plastic waste challenge
.
Among them, Australia's largest rigid plastics producer Pact Group announced an investment of 500 million Australian dollars to upgrade facilities, research and improve technology to increase the use of sustainable packaging
.
Increase the recycled content of its product portfolio to 30% by 2025
.
Qantas plans to reduce 100 million single-use plastic items such as cups, cutlery and lunch boxes by the end of 2020, replacing them with compostable items
.

In response to the call of the Korean government, Korean companies have joined the ranks of environmental protection
.
A local comprehensive food company established a marine plastic waste management team to carry out a "3-year plan" dedicated to reducing marine pollution
.
For the 40 fishing boats it manages, the management team will reduce the use of plastic products on board by 65.
4% within three years
.
In addition, the company's subsidiary has successfully developed ultra-light and environmentally friendly glass bottles to replace the colored plastic bottles for beer
.

Asda supermarkets in the UK will package fresh produce with a new vegetable coating that has been approved by the European Commission
.
Cup Club, a London start-up company, used the electronic tag technology in the field of Internet of Things to design a cup recycling system.
By setting up recycling points in the city, people can use reusable cups like renting a shared bicycle.
Starbucks reached a partnership
.

In 2019, 30 companies, including the German chemical company BASF, established the "Plastic Waste End Alliance" in London.
These companies plan to invest a total of 1.
5 billion US dollars by 2024 to invent technologies to improve the recycling rate of waste
.
In addition, there are many creative companies in Germany that "turn waste into treasure".
For example, the Berlin Pentatonic furniture factory makes various tables, chairs and cups from plastic bottles and disposable cups that people discard daily
.

On July 16, 2019 local time, an art exhibition called "Reduce the Litter" was held at the French Cultural Center in Hanoi, Vietnam
.

According to Statista statistics, in 2018, only 4.
5% of Germans will buy plastic bags when shopping for food; 57% of people will not buy single-use plastic bags when shopping; 72% of the people support the imposition of fees on plastic bags
.
Parades or art exhibitions related to plastic waste are often held across Australia to increase public awareness of plastic reduction
.
A researcher from the National Institute of Ecology in Korea said: "Every consumer should be aware of the importance of reducing the use of plastic products.
Only when each individual makes an effort can real environmental protection be achieved
.
"

Controlling plastic pollution and promoting the establishment of a "new plastic economy" are inseparable from the active participation of ordinary people
.
With the continuous advancement of national-level policies in various countries, the environmental protection awareness of people in various countries is also constantly improving, and plastic pollution will eventually become a thing of the past
.