11 June
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the country will ban single-use plastics, such as plastic bags and straws, as early as 2021.
Trudeau announced the measure on Monday to counter environmental pollution in oceans from discarded plastics.
The prime minister pointed out that less than 10 percent of plastic used in Canada gets recycled. He said companies that manufacture plastic products, or sell items with plastic packaging, will be responsible for the collection and recycling of the plastic waste.
Trudeau said the decision on which items to ban will be based on scientific evidence and closely mirror the action taken by the European Union. Canadian media have reported that plastic bottles will likely be included in the prohibition.
Industrialized nations are facing a problem of how to dispose of piles of plastic waste since China banned the import of such waste in January of last year out of concern for environment. China was the largest importer of plastic waste.
NHK
