The US government is to phase out single-use plastic products and packaging on public lands including national parks by 2023 in an attempt to reduce plastic pollution.
Visitors to the United States’ national parks will soon see more compostable, biodegradable and recycled materials in restaurants and gift shops.
Single-use plastics include plastic and polystyrene food and beverage containers, bottles, straws, cups, cutlery and disposable plastic bags that are designed to be used once and thrown away.
Deb Haaland, the Secretary of the Interior, issued an order on World Oceans Day (8 June). She said the Department of the Interior “has an obligation to play a leading role in reducing the impact of plastic waste on our ecosystems and our climate”.
“As the steward of the nation’s public lands, including national parks and national wildlife refuges, and as the agency responsible for the conservation and management of fish, wildlife, plants and their habitats, we are uniquely positioned to do better for our Earth,” she said.
Haadland’s order says less than 10 percent of plastics ever produced have been recycled. “Plastics, including unnecessary and easily substituted single-use plastic products, are devastating fish and wildlife around the world,” the order notes.
US government to reduce plastic pollution
More than 300 million tonnes of plastic is produced every year, at least 14 million tonnes of which ends up in the ocean. This causes “severe injuries and death” to marine species.
Previously, national parks were able to ban the sale of plastic bottles. However, in 2017, the ban was reversed by Donald Trump when he was president.
“Bags made of paper, bioplastics and composite can replace single-use plastic bags, as can reusable cloth or thicker plastic alternatives,” the order says.
“Bottles made of bio-based plastic, glass and aluminum, and laminated cartons can replace single-use plastic bottles, as can reusable bottles made of glass, aluminum or stainless steel.”
Similar materials can be used to “replace single-use plastic in food packaging, beverage cups, tableware, and other products”.
Atlantis Dubai, home to the Atlantis Aquaventure water park, marked World Oceans Day after investing half a million dollars in green initiatives over the past year.
Image: National Park Service
