A recent op-ed in the Los Angeles Times calls out the United States for allowing China to win the war against plastic waste.
On January 19, China announced a five-year plan to ban single-use plastics across the nation. The initiative will be rolled out in three phases, with China expected to ban and restrict the production, sales and use of some plastic products in some regions and areas this year. By 2022, China hopes the consumption of disposable plastic products will be significantly reduced and alternative products will be replaced. By 2025, China will prohibit the production, distribution, consumption and recycling of single-use plastic products.