Just weeks after China implemented a nationwide ban on free plastic bags, Yunnan province is once again putting itself at the forefront of the country's environmental movement – this time with a total ban on production, sales and use of plastic bags across the province next year.

According to a Xinhua report, the ban will begin January 1, 2009 and will cover plastic bags of all thicknesses, as opposed to the current national ban on plastic bags thinner than 0.025 millimeters. The report said that throughout Yunnan, 'truly environment-friendly shopping bags' will be provided free or for a fee to customers at supermarkets, department stores, shopping outlets, hotels, restaurants and other venues.

Prior to the nationwide ban on free plastic bags that went into effect on June 1 of this year, Yunnan had already earned a reputation for being one of China's most environmentally conscious provinces with plastic bag bans in the popular travel destinations of Shangri-la (Zhongdian) and Lijiang.

In Shangri-la and Lijiang, local residents quickly adapted to not using plastic bags, switching to reusable, biodegradable bags after experimenting with newspaper and woven baskets.

In addition to addressing the problem of 'white pollution' – the plastic and polystyrene pollution that can be found throughout China – Yunnan is also emerging as one of the more progressive provinces in terms of developing solar energy resources.

Both the cities of Shilin and Dali will soon boast some of China's – and Asia's – largest solar power projects, and Kunming, where half the city's residents use solar energy to heat their water, was named China's 'Solar City' by the Worldwatch Institute.

The Kunming municipal government is also reportedly considering developing the city into a production base for degradable plastic bags.

Image: hb.newssc.org

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Tags: Dali, environment, Lijiang, plastic bags, Shangri-la, solar power

As of June 1, all supermarkets, department stores and grocery stores in China are prohibited from providing shoppers with free plastic bags for their purchases. The move, announced at the beginning of this year, is aimed at reducing pollution as well as freeing up oil supplies for other products.

From this week onward, consumers in mainland China will be subjected to a fee of three jiao (US$0.04) per plastic bag provided by retailers. The Chinese government is promoting a 'habit revolution' in which consumers reduce the number of plastic bags they use when making retail purchases. Shoppers are also being encouraged to bring their own reusable bags to stores when shopping.

Ultra-thin bags that are less than 0.025 millimeters have also been completely banned. On a visit to the Haoshun Lu 'wet market', GoKunming discovered that the rainbow of red, blue and orange ultra-thin bags had been replaced by large, sturdier bags – available at a cost of three jiao. Vendors said they felt the new regulation was reducing the amount of plastic bags they gave customers, without adversely affecting their business.

The nationwide ban on free plastic bags has garnered much attention throughout China and internationally, but what many may not realize is that Yunnan is home to the first successful attempt to eliminate plastic bags. In July 2003, the old town of Lijiang banned plastic bags in an attempt to eliminate 'white pollution' (白色污染), the Chinese term for the countless plastic bags blowing on the country's streets and stuck in trees and bushes.

After the initial bag ban in Lijiang's old town, the ban was extended to the rest of Lijiang, where it has generally considered a success in the region. Now reusable cloth bags have replaced their plastic counterparts and locals have become accustomed to not using plastic bags.

Tags: environment, plastic bags, white pollution