Der Kampf gegen die Plastikverschmutzung in Asien | Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung boell.de - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from boell.de Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Less than a century ago, most products in Asia were made mainly from natural materials and were built to last or to biodegrade easily. People wrapped food in leaves or paper and carried it in reusable containers; returned glass milk bottles so that they could be sterilized and used again; and ate in restaurants using ceramic plates and stainless-steel cutlery. Low-income communities in particular embraced a prevalent micro-retail culture of buying small quantities of condiments and other household kitchen needs. The plastic bag had yet to be invented.
All this changed dramatically after World War II, when many parts of Asia
Community-based organizations and grassroots-led initiatives across Asia are addressing the growing threat of plastics pollution. Governments must now enact and properly implement policies and regulations to scale up these bottom-up efforts and hold plastics producers accountable.