Beijing, Jan 20 (AFP/APP):China will ban plastic bags in major cities and single-use straws from restaurants by the end of this year in a bid to cut down on waste. The country is one of the world’s biggest users of plastic, and the plan targets a 30 percent reduction in disposable plastic utensils used by the takeaway food industry in major cities within five years. In a document released Sunday, the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) and the Ministry of Ecology and Environment said the production and sale of disposable polystyrene and plastic tableware will be banned by the end of the year. The plan also outlaws single-use straws in the food and beverage industry this year, while disposable plastic products should not be “actively provided” by hotels by 2022. Decades of rapid development and a consumption drive have created huge levels of waste in the country of 1.4 billion people. China produced 210 million tonnes of trash in 2017, according to World Bank figures, which warns that could soar to 500 million tonnes annually by 2030. The NDRC said the new plan covers all aspects of plastic product production, use and disposal, and paves the way for a … Continue reading China moves on takeout containers in bid to reduce plastic waste