plastic bags

Costa Rica is hoping to make a dent in the trillions of plastics polluting the oceans and the environment by becoming the first country to ban all single-use plastic products by 2021.
Some U.S. cities, states and other countries have either banned plastic bags or are working on a plan to do so, but that only touches the surface of what Costa Rica wants to do. Forks, lids, coffee stirrers, water bottles, and a multitude of other products would be prohibited under the ban. [1]

In an effort to help curb some of the strains that disposable plastic puts on landfills, France is set to become the first country to ban all disposable cutlery products. By 2020, any disposable cutlery items will be required to be made from 50% biologically-sourced materials. By 2025, the cutlery will have to be made of 60% biologically sourced materials that can be composted at home. [1]

In January, another piece of research drew attention to the fact that plastics pollute every corner of the earth. Everywhere on the planet, cigarette butts, old CDs, supermarket bags, and nylons litter the landscape. [1]
Photograph: Erik de Castro/Reuters