Taiwan ban single-use plastic straws, plastic bags, disposable utensils by 2030

Re:Taiwan ban single-use plastic straws, plastic bags, dispo... by mturmon on Thursday February 22, 2018 @11:21AM (#16438663)

This approach is used in California and other states and it generally works. The deposit is 5 cents and certain "healthy" drinks (juices, milk) are not charged. [If you live in CA, know all this, and are just arguing for a much higher fee - my apologies.]

Most middle-class people don't take household bottles in for the 5c back -- they recycle them in bulk for free -- but bottles in public areas are scooped up by poorer people.

Also, some people game the system in various ways, like importing out-of-state cans for the return value, or other types of fraud, which can be abetted by shady recycling firms.

So basically, a micro-economy was created with all its attendant functional and not-so-functional aspects. But the basic problem of roadside litter was largely solved.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Taiwan ban single-use plastic straws, plastic bags, dispo... by lanaius on Thursday February 22, 2018 @12:45PM (#16439492)

I didn't have the time to wait in line every few weeks to turn in my recyclables in LA so I put them all in a bag next to the dumpster for the complex. I didn't start doing this until after I noticed the dumpster divers were coming anyways.

[ Parent | on HN ]