China Environmental Law

China tweaked its plastic bag ban on Thursday with a joint announcement of supplementary provisions from the Ministry of Commerce, National Development and Reform Commission, and State Administration for Industry and Commerce.  The new provisions

• make it clear that the ban on free plastic bags extends to restaurants, bookstores, clothing stores, and building materials stores. The original rules applied to all “retail stores,” but only “supermarkets, department stores and markets” were specifically mentioned
• provide that unmarked plastic bags, and bags without environmental protection and safety statements, can be used only until September 30, and only if the bags were produced before April 16, and meet with safety standards and thickness requirements.
• require that there be “a clear distinction between shopping bags and fresh food bags. Fresh food bags, which are usually used in supermarkets for fresh food such as meat, fruits and seafood, must be clearly marked ‘to be used for food’, and must not be used as shopping bags.”

As the China.org.cn article points out (and we reported on here) since the plastic bag regulations went into effect “there has been a huge increase of the number of small fresh food bags used in supermarkets, as consumers increasingly use them as a substitute for shopping bags.” 

The screw tightens.  If you’re ever at a loss for entertainment, I suggest you loiter in the produce department of your local supermarket and watch the fireworks as supermarket staff attempt to enforce the last provision.  Ultimately, however, the stealthy forces of reaction (in the guise of “thrifty housewives”) will be smashed, and the green vanguard will prevail.