Americans are consuming more and more stuff. Now that other countries won’t take our papers and plastics, they’re ending up in the trash.
After decades of earnest public-information campaigns, Americans are finally recycling. Airports, malls, schools, and office buildings across the country have bins for plastic bottles and aluminum cans and newspapers. In some cities, you can be fined if inspectors discover that you haven’t recycled appropriately. But now much of that carefully sorted recycling is ending up in the trash.
For decades, we were sending the bulk of our recycling to China — tons and tons of it, sent over on ships to be made into goods such as shoes and bags and new plastic products. But last year, the country restricted imports of certain recyclables, including mixed paper — magazines, office paper, junk mail — and most plastics. Waste-management companies across the country are telling towns, cities, and counties that there is no longer a market for their recycling. These municipalities have two choices: pay much higher rates to get rid of recycling, or throw it all away.
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China’s import ban on solid waste queried at import licensing meeting
Five WTO members questioned China’s import ban on solid waste, particularly for certain scrap materials, at the 3 October meeting of the WTO Committee on Import Licensing. The United States, the European Union, Australia, Canada and Korea sought more information on which types of materials would be affected, with some noting that this issue was of great interest to their business sectors.
The United States said it had significant concerns with the changes to import licensing surrounding China's implementation of an existing import ban on plastic and paper scrap. The US asked whether China was planning to extend the measure to cover ferrous and non-ferrous scrap, and if so, when this would be implemented and under what procedures. The US requested China to adhere to notification obligations, particularly for ferrous and non-ferrous scrap, noting that this constituted a multi-billion market for US stakeholders.
Earlier, on 18 July 2017, China had notified to the WTO that it would be imposing a ban on imports of certain kinds of solid waste by the end of 2017. Canada said it shares the concern of the United States as the recently announced restrictions were already creating issues for its traders. Canada said it wanted to know the specific products China intended to ban as part of the catalogue of solid waste that will fall nchunder new restrictions. Australia said it had similarly raised concerns over this issue both in Geneva and in Beijing. The EU also asked for more details on the policy. Korea said it will closely monitor the measures and that it will further cooperate with China as necessary. China's delegation responded that it will forward these concerns to its capital for consideration.
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Plastic waste to return to Sender
Ottawa has no plans to pick up plastic waste that originated in Canada and is currently parked in Malaysia, a spokesman for Canada's environment ministry said on Thursday (Jun 13).
In late May, the Malaysian government said it would send back 3,000 tonnes of plastic waste back to 14 countries of origin, including Canada, the United States, Japan, France, Australia and Britain.
In an email statement to Reuters, Environment and Climate Change Canada spokesman Gabrielle Lamontagne said: "There are no plans for the Canadian government to pick up waste in Malaysia."
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‘Trash plastic waste trade’
ENVIRONMENTAL campaigners have called on Asean member states to go beyond a narrow focus in solving the problem of marine plastic pollution to also address the plastic waste trade, as the region continues to be inundated with imported trash.
With Bangkok set to host the 34th Asean Summit over the weekend, the meeting is scheduled to hold talks on the marine debris problem. Asean member states have pledged to endorse a new regional collaborative framework – The Bangkok Declaration – to tackle marine plastic pollution. However, Greenpeace Southeast Asia and other prominent environmental groups in the region faulted the agenda for not including the huge related problem of plastic waste trade.
They called on Asean governments to entirely ban all import of plastic waste, establish a holistic regional policy governing production of single-use plastics, and advance the framework for a sustainable and ethical circular economy in order to protect public health and the environment from plastic pollution. Thailand, as Asean chair, will host the summit under the theme “Advancing Partnership for Sustainability”.
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Curbing marine debris in Asia
Thai zero-waste advocate Thanaboon Somboon never leaves his home without what he calls a full “weaponry” of reusable shopping bags, coffee tumblers and stainless steel straws for his daily battle against single-use plastic.
“I saw news of trash overflowing the world ... sea animals dying from eating plastic ... I felt I must do something,” said the 48-year-old entrepreneur, who leads an online community of over 20,000 people seeking to practise a waste-free lifestyle.But individual efforts alone can’t fully stop the eight million tonnes of plastic that make their way to the ocean each year, and with four of the five worst ocean polluters in South-East Asia, the region’s governments must take action, he said. “Policymaking to address the issue must be treated with urgency as well,” added Thanaboon.
A summit for leaders of the 10-member Association of South-East Asian Nations (Asean) being hosted by Thailand this weekend is expected to adopt the Bangkok Declaration on Combating Marine Debris in the Asean Region.
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The ‘top-5’ countries throwing plastic waste in the Oceans
Thai zero-waste advocate Thanaboon Somboon never leaves his home without what he calls a full “weaponry” of reusable shopping bags, coffee tumblers and stainless steel straws for his daily battle against single-use plastic.
“I saw news of trash overflowing the world...sea animals dying from eating plastic...I felt I must do something,” says the 48-year-old entrepreneur, who leads an online community of more than 20,000 people seeking to practise a waste-free lifestyle.
But individual efforts alone can’t fully stop the 8 million tonnes of plastic that make their way to the ocean each year, and with four of the five worst ocean polluters in Southeast Asia, the region’s governments must take action, he says. “Policymaking to address the issue must be treated with urgency as well,” said Thanaboon.
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Among world's worst polluters, ASEAN vows to tackle ocean waste
With Southeast Asia awash in rubbish, from plastic-choked whales to trash-clogged canals, leaders are planning to push through a deal to fight maritime debris at a regional meeting this weekend.
Just five Asian countries - China, Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam and Thailand - dump more than half of the eight million tonnes of plastic waste that end up in oceans every year, according to a 2017 Ocean Conservancy report.
The region has come under fire for not doing enough to tackle its mounting trash troubles, with single-use plastic and sub-par waste management adding to the problem.
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Southeast Asian nations vow to combat plastic debris in oceans
Southeast Asian nations vowed on Saturday to fight against plastic pollution in the ocean, as their leaders adopted a joint declaration during a summit in Bangkok.
The Bangkok Declaration on Combating Marine Debris in ASEAN Region was adopted by leaders of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), which includes four of the world’s top polluters.
ASEAN members Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam and Thailand, along with worst offender China, throw the most plastic waste into oceans, according to a 2015 report co-authored by environmental campaigner Ocean Conservancy.
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South-east Asian nations, among worst ocean polluters, aim to curb plastic debris
Plastic bottle washed up by the sea is seen at the Ao Phrao Beach, on the island of Ko Samet
"I saw news of trash overflowing the world...sea animals dying from eating plastic...I felt I must do something," says the 48-year-old entrepreneur, who leads an online community of more than 20,000 people seeking to practice a waste-free lifestyle.
But individual efforts alone can't fully stop the 8 million tonnes of plastic that make their way to the ocean each year, and with four of the five worst ocean polluters in South-east Asia, the region's governments must take action, he says.
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Singapore welcomes ASEAN declaration on tackling marine waste
Singapore welcomes a declaration by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to combat marine debris, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said on Saturday (Jun 22) as he urged the regional grouping to also reduce the waste it produces.
At the 34th ASEAN Summit in Bangkok on Saturday, leaders adopted the Bangkok Declaration on combating Marine Debris, reaffirming the bloc's commitment to conserve the marine environment and strengthen regional cooperation in addressing marine debris issues.
Four of the world’s top marine plastic polluters are in Southeast Asia - Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam and Thailand - trailing only China.
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Southeast Asia should ban foreign trash imports: Environmentalists
Environmental groups called on Tuesday (Jun 18) for Southeast Asian countries to ban waste imports from developed countries to help tackle a plastic pollution crisis, as regional leaders prepare to meet this week in Bangkok.
Southeast Asia has seen a staggering spike in imports of plastic and electronic waste from developed countries after the world's top recycler, China, banned imports, causing millions of tonnes of trash to be diverted to less-regulated countries.
Thailand will from Thursday host four days of meetings for leaders of the 10-member Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) to discuss the region's most pressing issues, including plastic debris in the ocean.
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related:
Packaging waste is everywhere
Harnessing the sun to turn plastics into useful chemicals
40-yr-old KFC plastic bag found
We're Eating a Whole Lot of Plastic
Microplastics in Your Bottled Water
Is this the end of recycling?
Plastic waste to return to Sender
Plastic waste is a threat to wildlife
Why is plastic a problem?
Harnessing the sun to turn plastics into useful chemicals
40-yr-old KFC plastic bag found
We're Eating a Whole Lot of Plastic
Microplastics in Your Bottled Water
Is this the end of recycling?
Plastic waste to return to Sender
Plastic waste is a threat to wildlife
Why is plastic a problem?
