The measure is aimed at protecting citizens’ right to a clean environment and reducing the risk of various pollution-related diseases, including cancer. It is noted that plastic can remain in the soil and other environments for more than a hundred years without decomposing, harming nature, and human health.
The Ethiopian authorities have indicated that individuals caught using or storing prohibited plastic bags face fines ranging from US$12.80 to US$32.25. The government has called on citizens to make a personal contribution to reducing plastic pollution.
Other BRICS countries are also aware of the problem of plastic overload and are taking measures to phase it out on a national scale.
In the United Arab Emirates, the final stage of the ban on single-use plastic products began on 1 January this year. The restrictions apply to a wide range of products, including beverage cups with lids, cutlery, plates, straws, stirrers, and polystyrene food containers.
According to ANTARA, Indonesian Environment Minister Hanif Faisol Nurofiq called on public school students to stop using plastic beverage bottles and replace them with reusable tumblers. In his address, the official stressed that even modest adjustments in everyday behaviour can make a meaningful contribution to environmental protection.
In Thailand, a BRICS partner country, the import of plastic waste is banned, and the country is combating its own plastic waste, which amounts to about two million tonnes annually, using various methods. In particular, an awareness campaign is being conducted to promote recycling and teach citizens to sort different types of used packaging and deliver it in clean form to collection points.
