Plastic bags: No more from the start of 2021

 

Thai caption: The end of Plastic Bags

 

The light at the end of the tunnel is coming for the use of plastic bags in Thailand.

 

Thai media has said that the "D-Day" for the end of single use plastic bags in the kingdom is January 1st 2021. 

 

Thai Public Broadcasting Service reported that an agreement has been inked between the Ministry of the Environment and major retailers like CP Group (7-Eleven), Central and The Mall Group to stop handing out plastic bags by January 1st 2020. 

 

This will result in an immediate 30% reduction in the billions of bags handed out to Thais annually.

 

Strategies are in place to encourage "mom and pop" stores and fresh food markets to begin to follow suit in the meantime with the aim that Thailand will be plastic bag free by January 1st 2021. 

 

The Natural Resources and Environment Ministry will be working on ways to make the ban on single use plastics a legal requirement. 

 

Ministry head and Chartthaipattana MP Varawut Silpa-archa, a relative of a former prime minister of Thailand, is leading the drive. 

 

Thailand has been named as one of the leading polluters through plastic bags. The country has been cited as the sixth worst polluter of the oceans worldwide. 

 

ThaiPBS said that measures already in place had resulted in 2 billion less plastic bags being used in the last year. 

 

But those were only the first steps - the aim is for a total ban and a complete change in the mindset and behavior of the Thai population. 

 

Source: ThaiPBS

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2019-09-11

Follow Thaivisa on LINE for breaking Thailand news and visa info

Please no Thai bashing.

This may be a small and late step, but it's a step in the right direction and a good thing.

21 minutes ago, 2long said:

Please no Thai bashing.

This may be a small and late step, but it's a step in the right direction and a good thing.

agreed. everyone should pitch in to make it work. the sucky thing is having to buy garbage bags

everyone agrees with the concept but it is only workable if a viable alternative is found

 

and plastic bags are only part of the problem

I am not in favour of government restrictions and regulations, when I look at the beaches in Thailand, I think that this is a move long over due. And why wait until 2021? This should be a ban of immediate effect, along with plastic bottles, straws, carrying containers, etc.  The billions/trillions being spent on the illusion that is termed "global warming" could be much better spent on the tangible and obvious harm that ignorant people (Thais and foreigners alike) do to the environment through carelessness and laziness.  It is a horrible trait of human beings to want someone else (most often the government, especially if they don't pay for it (i.e., college students)) to bring about change, while ignoring their own responsibility for the problem and refusing to change their behavior in any significant way -- "what I do isn't enough to cause (or solve) the problem". A move in the right direction, but a major/complete change in the focus of "environmental protection" is what is really required, in Thailand and throughout the world. 

Like someone said already, it will be hard to implement without a viable, working alternatives, education the people that this is a must do and not a choice, all in all, i personally don't see it happening without a lot of discontent and grumblings...

Stop the auto handout of sauce packets, straws, and forks/spoons unless requested.

Such a waste when handfuls of this stuff thrown into McDelivery, etc.

The real problem is people throwing plastic bags all the wrong places.

 

When stopping single use plastic bags, what will be thrown instead?

4 minutes ago, smedly said:

everyone agrees with the concept but it is only workable if a viable alternative is found

 

and plastic bags are only part of the problem

There were "viable alternatives" before plastic bags became common place -- paper bags. There are paper and bio-degradable alternatives readily available to everything made of plastic today, perhaps with the exception of straws. My kids use, wash and reuse metal straws, and they work fine. I have never used a straw in my life (at least that I can remember), and so long as cups, glasses and bottles can be tipped, I do without them just fine. There may be a minor cost/price issue, but the alternatives are there, NOW. 

Great great great, small step in the right direction. Kudos to those top dogs who implement this initiative.

7 minutes ago, ezzra said:

Like someone said already, it will be hard to implement without a viable, working alternatives, education the people that this is a must do and not a choice, all in all, i personally don't see it happening without a lot of discontent and grumblings...

What complete nonsense. Plastic bags being used commonly is a relatively new phenomenon. The lightweight plastic bags debuted in the USA in 1976, and many of America's largest food store chains were switching from paper to plastic bags by 1982. By 1985, 75 percent of US supermarkets were offering plastic bags to their customers. Lots of "discontent and grumbling"? Deal with it.....

I agree with this ban on plastic, but how are they going to get the mom and pop stores and the yokels to stop offering them

we have a small shop and i get told off when i complain that if people buy more than one small item, they are put in a plastic bag

Same with drinks, plastic cup, plastic top, plastic straw, plastic spoon, plastic holder

I get funny looks at Tesco and 7-11 when i refuse a plastic bag, when all i have bought is either some milk, which has a carry handle built in, or a sandwich

I provide a large waste bin for our customers, and most of the waste is plastic, but with an awful lot just thrown on the road as they walk away too

40 minutes ago, vinniekintana said:

Nanny state without any of the benefits of nanny states.

The worst of both worlds.

 

My thought exactly! Tax your soft drinks because sugar is bad for you and no cheap very convient plastic bags and straws because we say so! We know what is good for you!! 

So every one will need to carry a bag with them at all times now....Never know when you want to go shopping......

I don't believe this will achieve a 30% reduction at all. Just walk around the street vendors and look at the plethora of bags handed out every second.

18 minutes ago, Joinaman said:

I agree with this ban on plastic, but how are they going to get the mom and pop stores and the yokels to stop offering them

{snipped}

Unless I've misread it, it's not a 'ban', but an 'agreement'. I wonder how binding or effective will it be:

2 hours ago, webfact said:

Thai Public Broadcasting Service reported that an agreement has been inked between the Ministry of the Environment and major retailers like CP Group (7-Eleven), Central and The Mall Group to stop handing out plastic bags by January 1st 2020.

I notice it says 'major retailers like CP Group (7-Eleven), Central and The Mall Group'. Are there some other retailers too, that have not been named?

 

I really, really hope it works. We'll see in four months time.

It's about time.  I'm not a fan of big government, but there comes a time with government needs to step up and regulate.  The manufacturers of single use plastic as well as the retailers who pass this garbage out will never willing give up plastic because it effects their profits.  It's profits over the environment. 
Although this announcement has been made, personally I'll believe it when I see it.  Both the Petro-Chemical industry who makes single-use plastic as well as the retailers will lobby the Thai government hard not to implement this policy.  When money talks, ideals walk.  So let's see what it looks like come Jan 1, 2021?

33 minutes ago, Joinaman said:

I agree with this ban on plastic, but how are they going to get the mom and pop stores and the yokels to stop offering them

we have a small shop and i get told off when i complain that if people buy more than one small item, they are put in a plastic bag

Same with drinks, plastic cup, plastic top, plastic straw, plastic spoon, plastic holder

I get funny looks at Tesco and 7-11 when i refuse a plastic bag, when all i have bought is either some milk, which has a carry handle built in, or a sandwich

I provide a large waste bin for our customers, and most of the waste is plastic, but with an awful lot just thrown on the road as they walk away too

it would be a good thing if at school there was a teaching program on the protection of one's own territory. Education is the only road that will still be long for a........ few centuries maybe.

 

Just make the possession of a plastic bag be a automatic 1 year in jail.....So if you had 10 plastic bags that would be 10 years in jail.....If you had 20 plastic bags that would be 20 years in jail....  

meanwhile  thais  have  no  need  to  change  their drop it on  the  floor  habit whatever its  made of

I will believe it, when I see it!

I hope they do not offer "reusable" plastic bags as a replacement.

https://www.news.com.au/finance/business/retail/good-business-sense-coles-and-woolworths-to-rake-in-71m-profit-from-plastic-bag-ban

1 hour ago, onekoolguy said:

My thought exactly! Tax your soft drinks because sugar is bad for you and no cheap very convient plastic bags and straws because we say so! We know what is good for you!! 

It doesn’t require a “nanny state” to make the determination that plastic bags and plastic straws are horrendously bad for the environment -- which is the environment of all of us. As for taxing high-sugar drinks, cigarettes, and other consumables that are demonstrably bad for one’s health, people who consume these items and as a result become chronically ill and require medical care drive up costs for all of us -- in the way of increased taxes and insurance premiums.

 

So, yes, one person’s selfishness adversely affects another person’s quality of life.

1 hour ago, khunPer said:

The real problem is people throwing plastic bags all the wrong places.

 

When stopping single use plastic bags, what will be thrown instead?

Well it won't be money. 

4 minutes ago, Cory1848 said:

It doesn’t require a “nanny state” to make the determination that plastic bags and plastic straws are horrendously bad for the environment -- 

They simply need to recycle it. My unanswered question is who throws all this garbage into the sea? Garbage removal companies to save money? 

Let the consumers decide what they want, not a Politician

1 hour ago, fforest1 said:

So every one will need to carry a bag with them at all times now....Never know when you want to go shopping......

Yes, Fforest1 (above), I agree with you: it's ridiculous.

Now, if biodegradable bags were given to the customers when they make their purchases, that would be a sensible way forward. But to stop all plastic bags and not replace them with a biodegradable equivalent is sheer idiocy.

So much for 'customer service'. As usual, nothing has been properly thought through. It's all virtue signalling - and from one of the least virtuous governments on the planet!

 

 

1 hour ago, smedly said:

everyone agrees with the concept but it is only workable if a viable alternative is found

 

and plastic bags are only part of the problem

Yes, and obviously it makes no sense at all to only attack part of the problem. Better to leave it alone until Thailand can eliminate all of the plastic waste in the world, right?????

51 minutes ago, connda said:

It's about time.  I'm not a fan of big government, but there comes a time with government needs to step up and regulate.  The manufacturers of single use plastic as well as the retailers who pass this garbage out will never willing give up plastic because it effects their profits.  It's profits over the environment. 
Although this announcement has been made, personally I'll believe it when I see it.  Both the Petro-Chemical industry who makes single-use plastic as well as the retailers will lobby the Thai government hard not to implement this policy.  When money talks, ideals walk.  So let's see what it looks like come Jan 1, 2021?

Yes when PTT works out its $ loss on making these bags they will lean on Cha Cha. bBeing a pessimist on Thai change management. Can I have 1 satang for every plastic bag given to me after this magic date 2021? And will the same government be in power to honor that commitment?

1 hour ago, Fat Prophet said:

What complete nonsense. Plastic bags being used commonly is a relatively new phenomenon. The lightweight plastic bags debuted in the USA in 1976, and many of America's largest food store chains were switching from paper to plastic bags by 1982. By 1985, 75 percent of US supermarkets were offering plastic bags to their customers. Lots of "discontent and grumbling"? Deal with it.....

The question "paper or plastic" being asked at market checkout counters is still very clear in my mind. Plastic bags are, indeed, a relatively new thing; and, much like "social media", NOT a good thing overall!