In an effort to reduce its plastic waste by 30 percent, Taiwan has passed a law banning the free distribution of plastic bags and disposable tableware in some 75,000 establishments, including restaurants, department stores, supermarkets, convenience stores, and fast-food franchises. Taiwan currently uses 20 billion plastic bags per year (or 2.5 bags per person per day), and more than 16 million people in the country grab at least one meal a day outside their homes. Most of the resulting plastic waste winds up being burned in incinerators on the small, highly populated island. The plastics industry says the law could slash its business in half and lead to extensive layoffs, but its request for a five-year delay in implementing the ban was rejected by the government. Taiwan is one of several countries that has considered or implemented policies restricting plastic use, including Ireland, South Africa, Australia, England, Singapore, and Thailand.
