Economic Daily News from Vienna (Reporter Huang Haishun) The Austrian government recently stipulated that from January 1, 2020, the country will completely ban plastic bags. This means that all stores can neither give it away for free nor sell plastic bags. The only exception is the purchase or sale of fully biodegradable bags. At the same time, the Austrian government plans to ban the use of microplastics in cosmetics and detergents from 2020. According to statistics, Austrian per capita produces nearly 7,000 tons of plastic waste each year. The Austrian government's initiative is to solve this problem.

　　 It is reported that an average of 100 billion plastic bags are consumed in the EU every year. According to Greenpeace report, in Austria, which has a population of only 7.9 million, an average of 1,600 plastic bags are consumed every minute. Currently, Austria produces up to 7,000 tons of plastic waste each year. Most of them end up in collection points in streets, forests or rivers. Every day, nearly 100 kilograms of plastic waste flows into the Danube River, and finally into the ocean, and become plastic particles into the food chain circulation, and become human dishes.

　　In this regard, Austrian Environment Minister Elizabeth Kostiner said at the United Nations World Climate Conference in Katowice, Poland: “The global plastic plague is one of the biggest problems in the 21st century. If we want to protect the environment, we must take immediate measures. action."

　　Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz said: “We want to lead a new awareness of environmental protection and resist the consumer trend of disposable products.” The Austrian government’s goal is to reduce the number of plastic packaging by 2025 compared with 2016. % To 25%. This plan mainly involves disposable packaging, which is equivalent to a reduction of approximately 60,000 tons of plastic.

　　So far, Austria will become the third EU country after Italy and France to adopt mandatory environmental protection measures. Plastic bag bans in Italy and France were implemented nationwide in 2011 and 2016 respectively.