The war against plastic (Part 1)1 min read

Alright. Lately, everyone cares about a plastic-free world and the war against plastic seems to be started a long time ago. It’s true, a bit. The first plastic bag ban dates back to around twenty years ago. But the massive wave of bans arrived just four years ago. It means a fourteen-year gap. 14.

As a matter of fact, the pioneering country to start banning plastic was Bangladesh. It was 2002 and the ban involved thinner plastic bags. The same year also India followed this way.

Then it was the time for Eritrea (2005), Rwanda (2008), Gabon (2010), Mauritania (2013), Cameroon, and Ivory Coast (2014). European countries woke up quite late and their first bans arrived only in 2016 (Belgium, France, Germany, Monaco, The Netherlands, Portugal). During those years, other countries “shyly” defined charge strategies on plastic bags, voluntary-based or not.

Basically, it was necessary fourteen years for more decisive measures. After 2016, lots of nations have followed the aforementioned countries’ example. And there is hope more and more can join this virtuous club.

Here you are the list of countries that have established the phase-out of lightweight plastic bag.

Featured image by Matthew Gollop from Pixabay