India Vows to Abolish All Single-Use Plastic Materials by 2022 as Others Follow

On Tuesday, June 6, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his conservative Hindu nationalist government announced that the South Asian republic will eliminate all single-use plastic materials, disposable plastics such as bags, straws, and bottles, by 2022. This recent announcement coincides with a global report from the United Nations released in regards to combating plastic pollution and World Environment Day as more than 50 countries around the world are also making serious plans to combat this particular issue.

The report from the world’s primary intergovernmental organization also stated that the Galapagos Islands, an archipelagic Ecuadorian territory far off the Pacific coast of South America, will also ban single-use plastics as well as India’s island neighbor to its south, Sri Lanka. India’s economic competitor to its north, China, will start to transition towards biodegradable bags for commercial usage, especially in the world’s fastest-growing economic superpower.

In the developed world, countries such as the United Kingdom of Great Britain under the conservative government of Theresa May are taking gradualist steps towards eliminating plastic waste by the early 2040s. Ikea, the Swedish multinational retail giant, says that it will also stop selling or providing single-use plastic products by 2022. The European Union is also formulating plans to abolish single-use plastic.