Single-use plastics will be banned in the UK.

The UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) has announced that, from April 2022, the UK will apply the world's highest plastic packaging tax, at £200 (approximately $275.32) per tonne, to plastic packaging that does not meet the minimum 30% recycled content threshold. The UK is also reviewing a full list of single-use items and will publish further consultation details in the coming weeks.

Chính phủ Vương quốc Anh thông tin, ước tính mỗi người sử dụng 18 đĩa nhựa và 37 dụng cụ dao kéo bằng nhựa dùng một lần mỗi năm. (Ảnh: Internet) — The UK government estimates that each person uses an average of 18 disposable plastic plates and 37 disposable plastic cutlery items per year. (Image: Internet)

Previously, since October 5, 2015, the UK had implemented a policy of charging 5 pence (approximately 1,600 VND) for each plastic bag. This move by the government aimed to change people's habits of using plastic bags, an action that negatively impacts the environment due to its difficulty in decomposition and the release of many toxic substances.

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The UK Environment Agency reports that the number of plastic bags in the UK has increased rapidly over the past five years (2010-2015), with 7.6 billion bags used annually, equivalent to 61,000 tons. This means that an estimated 140 plastic bags are used per person per year in the UK.

According to new regulations, shop owners at supermarkets and large department stores in the UK must package products for customers in environmentally friendly, store-produced packaging. Meanwhile, environmental activists are calling for this requirement to be applied to retail stores as well.

Lượng túi nhựa dùng một lần được tiêu thụ trong các chuỗi siêu thị lớn ở Anh đã giảm hơn 95% so với cách đây 5 năm, khi chính sách đánh thuế được ban hành. (Ảnh: Internet) — The amount of single-use plastic bags consumed in major supermarket chains in the UK has decreased by more than 95% compared to five years ago, when the tax policy was implemented. (Image: Internet)

However, efforts to reduce plastic waste in the UK have stalled since the Covid-19 pandemic. The amount of plastic waste has increased dramatically due to the continuous use of disposable masks, gloves, face shields, and wipes. At the same time, the rate of plastic recycling has also slowed down significantly due to lockdowns.