There are a number of things that governments can do to stem the toxic tide — from running public awareness campaigns, to offering incentives for recycling, and introducing levies or even banning certain plastic products outright.
Dozens of national and local governments around the world have already adopted policies to reduce the use of disposable plastic. And the number continues to grow. Here are some tide-turning national governments and city authorities: (from Single-Use Plastics: A Roadmap for Sustainability and news outlets)
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Austria
In 2016, Austria’s Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Environment and Water Management (BMLFUW) signed an agreement with large retailers and environmental protection organizations to reduce the use of carrier bags. The aim was to cut the consumption of plastic bags to a maximum of 25 bags per person per year, including any single-use carrier bags made from other materials, such as paper. As of January 2017, most of Austria’s large supermarket chains had voluntarily stopped providing customers with free carrier bags, made from any kind of material.
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Antigua and Barbuda
In 2016, the island state was the first in its region to introduce a ban on single-use plastic bags. It also banned the distribution of bags at points of sale that year, starting with supermarkets before extending the measure to smaller shops. Consumers were given reusable bags outside supermarkets and seamstresses and tailors were taught to make the bags in order to meet increased demand. To encourage the use of alternatives, the legislation included a list of materials that would remain tax-free, such as sugar cane, bamboo, paper and potato starch. In the first year, the ban contributed to a 15 per cent decrease in the amount of plastic discarded in landfills. As of January 2018, the country also banned single-use plastic utensils, food trays and egg cartons. In 2019, Antigua and Barbuda joined the Clean Seas campaign.