Shops in Japan begin charging fees for plastic shopping bags
There's still a long way to go for the country to tackle its plastic problems Retail shops across Japan from convenience stores to supermarkets are now required to charge their customers at least one yen (around one US cent) for plastic bags , a new rule that brings the country in line with other major economies and that seeks to reduce plastic waste generated in the country. Credit Flickr However, plastic shopping bags only account for 2% of all the plastic waste produced in the country, which means further actions will have to be taken. The governments hopes that the introduction of the fee will encourage customers to change their habits on a wider scale, reducing their plastic footprint. Japan produces more plastic packaging waste per capita than any nation apart from the United State s, according to the United Nations. Amid criticism from environmental organizations, with the new move the country vows to “curb excessive use of plastic and think about how to use it wisely”, acc...
