Thailand Kicks Off 2020 By Banning Single-Use Plastic Bags

Thailand began the New Year with a ban on single-use plastic bags at major stores with an aim to completely ban the use of plastic bags in the country by 2021

This is the second phase of the plastic-ban campaign in Thailand by the government.

In the first phase of the campaign, consumers were encouraged to voluntarily refuse plastic bags from stores

Talking about the plastic ban and Thailand’s strategy, Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Varawut Silpa-Archa said,

“Thailand was ranked sixth among the world’s top countries that dump waste into the sea. During the past five months, we were down to 10th … thanks to the cooperation of the Thai people. The country reduced the use of plastic bags by 2 billion, or about 5,765 tonnes last year, in the first phase of the campaign. Now, we will hope to achieve 100 per cent, it won’t be an easy task.”