Beijing to ban non-degradable plastic bags for take-out foods

Beijing will ban the use of non-degradable plastic bags for take-out foods starting on July 1 under new regulations released by the Beijing Municipal Market Regulation Bureau.

On April 7, the city's market regulation bureau issued detailed plastic pollution work control plans to regulate the production and sales of plastic products. In the catering sector, the use of non-degradable bags is prohibited in Beijing's downtown district. Meanwhile, the use of non-degradable disposable plastic coffee stirring rods was banned in the industry.

In the exhibition industry, all kinds of events and activities held in downtown Beijing will ban the use of non-degradable plastic bags.

Beijing began to enforce the newly revised household-waste regulation in May last year - one of a number of Chinese cities with new rules to protect the environment.

The regulation also specifies that supermarkets, shopping malls and farmer's markets may not offer the super-thin plastic bags for free. The thickness of plastic shopping bags should not be less than 0.025 millimeters.