Ordering take-out, picking up groceries, and buying a soft drink are among the many activities that will change over the next decade in Taiwan as the island nation imposes a blanket ban on single-use plastic bags, straws and cups. It will be one of the farthest-reaching actions on plastic in the world, and it is another example of the momentum of the anti-plastic movement. An estimated 8 million metric tons of plastic enter the oceans each year, which is like emptying a truck-load of plastic into the sea every minute. The majority of this pollution comes from rivers in Asia – particularly in China. Taiwan is not a major polluter, but all areas of the world need to do their part to clean up the situation.

Taiwan’s new law will be phased in over time, and it builds on existing regulations that include an expanded recycling program and extra charges for plastic bags. The first phase of the regulations include a complete ban on plastic straws in dining outlets by 2020. Retail stores will be charged for providing plastic bags, disposable food containers and utensils, culminating in a flat-out prohibition on all of these items by 2030.