U.S. National Parks Put Ban on Single-Use Plastics
The Biden administration has proposed several initiatives, including a phaseout of single-use plastics in national parks and other public lands, which will reduce the procurement, sale, and distribution of single-use plastic goods and packaging in 423 national parks.
The move follows a letter signed by over 300 organisations and businesses last year urging US Interior Secretary Deb Haaland to prohibit the sale and distribution of plastic foam products and other unnecessary single-use plastic items in these protected areas, such as bottles, bags, cups, plates, bowls, and utensils.
According to a recent Oceana study, 82 per cent of American citizens support the National Park Service's decision to prohibit selling and distributing single-use plastic in national parks. Eighty-three per cent said that keeping national parks clean of plastic garbage is important, and 76 per cent felt that single-use plastic items have no place in national parks.
Only 9% of plastic waste has ever been recycled, while manufacturers continue to push new plastic products into the market. With the rapid growth of plastic production, greater volumes of plastic are likely to infiltrate the environment, emphasising the need to remain plastic-free.
Other plastic bans in the US include a new law in New Jersey that prohibits grocery stores and retailers from distributing plastic bags of any thickness and prohibits restaurants and food distributors from using polystyrene foam packaging; it also adds to a law that went into effect in November 2021 that makes plastic straws available only upon request.
Source: Environmental Leader
