The Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment, together with major shopping malls and convenience stores across Thailand, has launched a volunteer activity to encourage people to help protect the environment by using reusable bags instead of plastic bags.
Natural Resources and Environment Minister Varawut Silpa-archa and a group of officials joined the volunteer activity to reduce the use of plastic bags. Forty-three shopping malls and convenience stores nationwide will stop providing plastic bags to shoppers, starting in January next year.
Almost a year ago, many shopping malls stopped providing plastic bags to shoppers on the fourth day of each month to raise public awareness. The campaign has resulted in a reduction of 1.8 billion plastic bags being used.
Varawut said today the ministry’s waste management roadmap aims at banning four types of single-use plastics in the country by 2021. They include plastic bags, plastic cups, plastic straws and Styrofoam containers. The ministry initially asked major shopping malls and convenience stores for their cooperation. Next year, the ministry will seek cooperation from the food and beverage industry, fresh markets, community markets and small retail stores. The ministry will then introduce legislation to ban single-use plastic products by 2021.
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