Campaigns signal the end of single-use plastic bags

[rooster59]

Campaigns signal the end of single-use plastic bags

Praphorn Praphornkul

 

 

BANGKOK (NNT) - Additional campaigns have been launched to promote convenience stores and shopping malls abolishing the use of single-use plastic bags starting January 1, 2020, with one competition offering a 1 million baht prize.

 

The competition calls for sustainable plastic management innovations and is aimed at protecting Thailand’s oceans. Application are at www.noplasticinnatureinnovation.com until December 31 this year, with the results to be announced on April 22 next year. Prizes will be handed out on June 5, 2020.

 

The challenge was staged to announce that 46 convenience stores and malls will stop giving out single-use plastic bags starting January 1st 2020, instead encouraging customers to use cloth bags as part of an effort to make Thailand single-use plastic free by 2021. Concerted efforts by private businesses in the country since July 21 of this year have so far cut over two billion plastic bags, or about 6,000 tons worth.

 

The Ministry of Natural Resources and theEnvironment is now handing out cloth bags as part of its volunteer campaign. The bags are available at the Gourmet Market in The Emquartier, Bangkok.

 

-- © Copyright NNT 2019-11-03

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[Thian]

If you use a backpack in the bts the security wants to look inside, so i won't bring it anymore.

[Misterwhisper]

46 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

The challenge was staged to announce that 46 convenience stores and malls will stop giving out single-use plastic bags starting January 1st 2020

Does that mean 46 single outlets in the entire country? Which would be a drop in the ocean and will help absolutely nothing if the other 3 gazillion stores continue dispensing single-use plastic bags like candies.

 

Or did they mean 46 convenience store and mall CHAINS? In that case it would encompass every single outlet in those respective chains. Nationwide.

 

If the latter, I really want to observe that "STOP giving out" with my own eyes. 

 

Am planning on a grand tour of every 7-Eleven, Mr. Orange, Family Mart, Big C, Tesco-Lotus and what not venue in the neighborhood right on January 2. My hunch is that I am going to be mightily disappointed.

[Nyezhov]

38 minutes ago, Thian said:

If you use a backpack in the bts the security wants to look inside, so i won't bring it anymore.

so what? Ya got a dead body in there?

[Chassa]

What about the markets?

[RotBenz8888]

2 hours ago, rooster59 said:

46 convenience stores

That's the number of 7/11s on one tiny road anywhere in Thailand. For this  country however, it's a huge step.

[neeray]

Last I read, there are 8,900 7-11 stores in Thailand.

[baansgr]

35 minutes ago, Chassa said:

What about the markets?

This is the main problem but how can the pre cooked soups and curries etc be sold...what alternative packaging is there?

[seabear]

Bring your own Tupperware. Easy.

[IAMHERE]

Why doesn't the single use plastic bag biodegrade after 18 months ?

[djayz]

1 hour ago, Chassa said:

What about the markets?

What about the street vendors? Mom and pop stores?

[Gimino]

I once opined that plastic bags do not join hands and skip gleefully into the sea. People

are the problem, not the bags. If we make a conscious decision to use the oceans as our

dumping grounds we can at least alleviate dirty, rotten, awful, terrible, bad plastic bags

from the equation. How? By simply employing only bio-degradable plastic bags. "One small

step for man, one......"

 

 

   

 

[Dexlowe]

Edumacation, edumacation, edumacation -- that is what's needed. 

 

I goes into a 7-11 with my own bag, hand it to the shop assistant who then promptly puts my purchases into it. -- After putting everything in plastic bags first. -- The dirty look she gave me when I made her take everything out of the plastic bags was priceless.

[pattayadgw]

About time the government introduced a 5 year campaign for not only plastics but for rubbish in general, dumping rubbish on land & sea, throwing rubbish from bikes/cars etc. etc.  Introduce a decent budget to support this during the 5 years.... TV commercials, billboard signs up all over the country, fines increased dramatically and ENFORCED..... The govt. are always speaking about Thailand becoming the hub for this the hub for that.... let them become the leading country for cleanliness and making it the 'clean hub' of S.E.A.... THE CLEANEST COUNTRY IN THE REGION!!

[Tayaout]

4 hours ago, Thian said:

If you use a backpack in the bts the security wants to look inside, so i won't bring it anymore.

I have one most of the time. They don't really check what is inside the bag nor do they care when the metal detector beep. There is a reason why unemployment is low in Thailand. 

[canopy]

1 hour ago, Gimino said:

How? By simply employing only bio-degradable plastic bags

No. Just stop using plastics bags of any kind, period. This whole idea of changing from one kind of plastic to another kind of plastic is much ado about nothing. The studies coming in prove bio plastic bags don't degrade any faster than normal ones. And their production is filthy to the earth. Think of the smokestacks and chemical dumping in the waterways.  Plastic bags choke infants and wildlife to death every year. It confounds the mind why some wish to cling to plastics when we have recycled paper, hemp, jute, and so many types of wonderful materials that can work better than plastic and can be 100% natural materials to boot.

 

 

 

[fforest1]

My family does not carry reusable bags around with us 24/7 sorry.......I say plastic bags yesterday plastic bags today plastic bags forever.....Were not not changing ever....

[sirineou]

2 hours ago, Gimino said:

I once opined that plastic bags do not join hands and skip gleefully into the sea. People

are the problem, not the bags.

We have being trying to eliminate people for a long time , especially the single use ones, but with the world population growth being what it is, it seems we have not being very  successful so far.

But we are working on it! 

IMO , until such time that we succeed in eliminating single use people, as a stop gap measure we should concentrate on single use plastic bags,  And stinky fish.. what;s up with that?

[WhatupThailand]

Better find a way to turn Plastic into Foundation Blocks, in order to support Sinking Bangkok.

 

[Burma Bill]

Quote:-

" to promote convenience stores and shopping malls abolishing the use of single-use plastic bags starting January 1, 2020"

Great idea BUT what about all the tens of thousands of local shops and market stalls throughout rural Thailand where the "single use" plastic bag is the mainstay for the conveyance of food and other commodities? It will take many years, if ever, to abolish them in the countryside.

[jingjai9]

Why is it the responsibilty of the customer to bring something to hold their groceries? The store that supplies sacks for items sold will get the business. You are out someplace and you decide to stop off at the store to pick up a couple of things. Either you buy a bag or carry it out yourself?

 

The stores are the ones who profit. It is their responsibilty to offer alternatives to plastic.

[Pilotman]

We take our own bags to do the weekly shop, but Tesco will not give us the extra points for using them, if we happen to have to use just one of their plastic bags.  I strongly support this policy, but I have heard a few farangs complaining about it.   

[Thian]

3 hours ago, Tayaout said:

I have one most of the time. They don't really check what is inside the bag nor do they care when the metal detector beep. There is a reason why unemployment is low in Thailand. 

In the city they don't care for backpacks, but that purple line does! But we take taxi's now, costs the same for 2 persons and is much more relaxed and cool.

[Beggar]

7 hours ago, Misterwhisper said:

Am planning on a grand tour of every 7-Eleven, Mr. Orange, Family Mart, Big C, Tesco-Lotus and what not venue in the neighborhood right on January 2. My hunch is that I am going to be mightily disappointed.

I think they will stop it. But I expect longer lines at the cashiers since it will take much longer if the people have to pack everything themselves.

[Geordie59]

Well that generated the usual mix of smart arsed, sarcastic and negative comments. Strange how it works in other countries. 

One common method to kick start these initiatives is the charge for every plastic bag used. I'd start with 5 baht per bag and see how it goes from there. 

[BobinBKK]

3 hours ago, Tayaout said:

I have one most of the time. They don't really check what is inside the bag nor do they care when the metal detector beep. There is a reason why unemployment is low in Thailand. 

I noticed that they mostly check Thai people and very seldom do I see a white tourist/expat being checked. I have lived in Bangkok for 16 months, ride the MRT/BTS a lot and was only checked once when I first arrived. I even open my bag sometimes and try to show them and they don't even look. I see some of them looking on their phones and people just walking right past and all I can do is laugh...

[Pilotman]

10 minutes ago, Geordie59 said:

Well that generated the usual mix of smart arsed, sarcastic and negative comments. Strange how it works in other countries. 

One common method to kick start these initiatives is the charge for every plastic bag used. I'd start with 5 baht per bag and see how it goes from there. 

Agreed.  In Kenya, I understand that plastic bags are actually illegal.  Good on them, way ahead of most countries in banning this terrible blight on the environment. 

[Thomas J]

Trash in Pattaya.  Yes ridding those single use plastic bags will certainly clean up the place.  Consider, Singapore has the same single use plastic bags as the rest of the world but you can literally not find a piece of litter.  Why?  They have strict laws against littering and they enforce them.  I have no problem with banning single use bags but are you just trading plastic bags for paper ones?  Until countries including Thailand start to fine people for littering the situation wont change.  You may find without plastic bags the loose trash becomes even worse. 

[Saint Nick]

On 11/3/2019 at 9:39 AM, Thian said:

If you use a backpack in the bts the security wants to look inside, so i won't bring it anymore.

Oooooh...the horror!

You are inconvenienced a little, so screw the planet, right?!

[Saint Nick]

I really don't care for their announcements anymore!

The champions of saying-no-to-plastic-bags, Tops,  tried to give me an extra bag for a bottle of dishwasher liquid, yesterday!

In the 1st bag?

A plastic- bag full of bananas (because they don't have their own "packaging", right?!), two cans of Tuna and a toast!

Yep...it was not because of the weight, but because of the idiotic notion, not to put food and non-foods into a single bag!

This country is a hopeless case!