Editor's note
In order to protect the environment and conserve energy, China launched the campaign against the wide use of plastic bags last year. Since the "ban on free plastic bags" took effect on June 1, 2008, its implementation has been positive on the whole, but some problems still exist.

Turtles devouring fragments of plastic bags. It is estimated that 100 million tons of plastic products are produced annually around the world, including 10 percent that end up in their "final destination" of the ocean. The more terrible thing however, is the fact that large quantities of toxic substances will gradually enter the human food chain through marine life and birds.


Diagram of "plastic vortex".This vortex is contributing to the accumulation of ocean waste in that area. With the movement of ocean currents, the waste left by human beings has been transformed into a giant "plastic vortex" in the Pacific Ocean.

Retrospect: China to limit use of plastic bags form June 1
Public environmental awareness improves
☆Nationwide use and disposal of plastic bags had been reduced.

☆'All the plastic bags saved in one year equal 1.6 million tonnes of petroleum'.

☆Use of plastic bags at supermarkets was down by an average 66 percent than before the ban.

☆'Government ban in China is widely admired by many other governments'

☆In106 Wal-Mart outlets around China, the average drop in plastic shopping bag use has been over 80 percent.

Existing Problems

★While cities handed out 65 to 70 percent fewer plastic bags during the past year, rural areas saw little change in the pattern.

★The number of bag makers rose quickly after the June 1 ban because of low investment and technological requirements as well as a wide supply gap following the closure of major factories.

★Plastic bags, especially those ultra-thin ones you often see hanging on trees or littering back streets, still rule the day at wet markets across the country.

★There are still some enterprises engaging in the production and sale of ultrathin plastic bags.

★It is necessary to find plastic bag alternatives and accelerate their production and use.

★About a third of those surveyed confessed they still bought plastic bags in supermarkets frequently.

★The style and design of environmentally friendly bags has a lot to do with making people use them.

Moving forward to the goal of "clean and green"
China launches national campaign against illegal, obscene publications
Pollution problem serious: Survey
Measures to protect environment
●A one-month national inspection campaign to be launched
The NDRC and the SAIC are preparing to jointly launch a one-month special national inspection campaign to solve problems and improve implementation of the regulation.
●Still more to do after a year's plastic bag ban
It's clear that government agencies have not done enough to make sure that the ban is fully implemented.
●Yunnan becomes China's vanguard to eliminate plastic bags
The ban is much stricter than the national requirement on restricting the production and use of plastic bags thinner than the 0.025 mm. .
● Coco Lee defies using plastic bags
"Bring your own bag and stop using plastic bags" was the message highlighted by Chinese pop star Coco Lee on Monday prior to the annual Earth Day.
●HK to levy on plastic shopping bags from July
Registered retailers in HK are required to charge customers not less than 0.5 HK dollars (0.06 U.S. dollars) for each shopping bag from July 7 this year.
In Pictures

World Environment Day is coming up again.
Pupils put on their signatures during the initiation ceremony of the Earth Hour
Many of bags are made of plastic that is not degradable.
A large amount of waste from the ocean accumulated on the bank.
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