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Ne všichni ale odjížděli z Nairobi s optimismem. Někteří ekologové poukazují na to, že ambiciózním slibům chybí jakýkoli časový rámec a také skutečný důraz na prevenci. Tisha Brownová z organizace <anchor>Greenpeace</anchor> si ve vyjádření pro BBC posteskla: „Vítáme skutečnost, že si zástupci z celého světa uvědomují naléhavost problému. V kontextu tak masivní hrozby ale potřebujeme mnohem důraznější a rychlejší kroky.“
China's plastic waste ban - What does it mean? | Greenpeace UK
China's plastic waste ban - What does it mean? \| Greenpeace UK

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# China’s plastic waste ban – What does it mean?

Posted by [Tisha Brown](../author/tisha-brown/index.html) \-  7th December 2017


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Today _Unearthed_ released an [investigation](https://unearthed.greenpeace.org/2017/12/07/china-plastic-scrap-ban-crisis-uk-recycling/) into the impacts of the China waste import ban that is coming into effect at the end of the year. But what does this all mean?

**_What is the ban?_**

The ban which was announced in July means that China will no longer accept various materials including plastic waste from foreign countries. The new law will come into effect at the start of 2018 and has been introduced because much of the recyclable material that they’ve received has not been properly cleaned or has been mixed with other non-recyclable materials.

**_What does this mean??_**

This is a big deal because for many years China has imported much of the world’s waste. In the UK, nearly two-thirds of our plastic waste is sent to China. But with this latest ban that will no longer be an option. Our recycling centres are currently stretched to capacity (which is why there was a need to export our recycled plastic in the first place). There are serious concerns that councils may be forced to stop accepting some of our plastic for recycling and that it will either end up in landfill, become incinerated or even converted into jet fuel!

**_So should I stop recycling?_**

Definitely not! Recycling is a really important way of dealing with plastic waste. By putting your plastic in a recycling bin, you’re doing your bit to help prevent it ending up in landfill, or even in the ocean. But ultimately the government needs to take responsibility to ensure that this plastic is properly dealt with.  We need the government to support the recycling industry and help tackle plastic pollution – one way of doing this would be introducing UK-wide deposit return schemes (DRS). These cash for bottle schemes – where you pay a little bit extra when you purchase a bottle that is then refunded when the bottle is returned –  have been credited with increasing collection rates by up to 90%! Plastic bottles are also a really valuable recycled material. So collecting the 16 million plastic bottles that go unrecycled every day in the UK, can help to support our recycling industry and stem the flow of plastic into our oceans. [Tell Westminster](https://secure.greenpeace.org.uk/page/s/bottle-deposit?source=fb&subsource=20171207ocfb02&utm_source=gpeace&utm_medium=fb&utm_campaign=20171207ocfb02) that you want a DRS system now.

**_What else can be done?_**

The stark reality of this situation is that there’s simply too much single-use plastic being produced. Corporations must take action to reduce the amount of plastic they’re creating. Global drinks giant Coca-Cola produces an estimated 110 billion single-use bottles every year around the world and we know that many of those are adding to the 12 million tonnes of plastic that end up in our oceans every year.

As the biggest soft drinks producer in the word, Coke must take urgent action now. [Join us](https://secure.greenpeace.org.uk/page/s/coca-cola-petition?source=fb&subsource=20171207ocfb01&utm_source=gpeace&utm_medium=fb&utm_campaign=20171207ocfb01) in our call for Coke to reduce their plastic footprint by switching to reusable and refillable plastic bottles and investing in new technology like the [smart fountains](https://www.cokecce.co.uk/news-and-events/news/coca-cola-european-partners-and-university-of-reading-trial-innovative-system-to-reduce-soft-drinks-packaging) that they are trialing at the University of Reading.

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**Article Tagged as:** [Coke](../category/oceans/plastics/coke/index.html),
[Featured](../category/featured/index.html),
[Oceans](../category/oceans/index.html),
[Plastics](../category/oceans/plastics/index.html)

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### About Tisha Brown

![Author Avatar](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/ced3222da5f84776c885fc338550ae47?s=96&d=mm&r=g)

I am a campaigner on the oceans team.

### Other posts by Tisha Brown

[![Image for Can we reduce plastic packaging and reduce food waste?](../wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Sweet-potatoes.jpg)](../can-reduce-plastic-packaging-reduce-food-waste/index.html)

[**Can we reduce plastic packaging and reduce food waste?**](../can-reduce-plastic-packaging-reduce-food-waste/index.html)

[Plastic packaging has been in the news a lot lately. After Blue Planet II, many people have been concerned about the amount of single use plastic that is produced and subsequently thrown away. Currently a truckload of plastic enters our oceans each and every minute where it becomes…](../can-reduce-plastic-packaging-reduce-food-waste/index.html) [Read More](../can-reduce-plastic-packaging-reduce-food-waste/index.html)

Tisha Brown - 30th April 2018

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[![Image for This Earth Day We Asked Supermarkets to Reduce Their Plastic Footprint](../wp-content/uploads/2018/04/GP0STRVA5_Web_size.jpg)](../earth-day-asked-supermarkets-reduce-plastic-footprint/index.html)

[**This Earth Day We Asked Supermarkets to Reduce Their Plastic Footprint**](../earth-day-asked-supermarkets-reduce-plastic-footprint/index.html)

[As part of our campaign for supermarkets to get rid of throwaway plastic packaging, we celebrated this year’s ‘End Plastic Pollution’ themed Earth Day by taking action in stores around the country. With a truckload of plastic entering our oceans every minute, up to 12.7 million tonnes of…](../earth-day-asked-supermarkets-reduce-plastic-footprint/index.html) [Read More](../earth-day-asked-supermarkets-reduce-plastic-footprint/index.html)

Tisha Brown - 24th April 2018

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[![Image for Guest Blog – Kids Taking Action Against Plastics](../wp-content/uploads/2018/03/IMG_8077.jpg)](../guest-blog-kids-taking-action-plastics/index.html)

[**Guest Blog – Kids Taking Action Against Plastics**](../guest-blog-kids-taking-action-plastics/index.html)

[This is a guest blog written by Amy Meek, co-Founder of Kids Against Plastic Our desire to make a positive change began about two years, when we were being home schooled by our parents. We were taking a break from the monotony of normal life, travelling around the UK and Europe…](../guest-blog-kids-taking-action-plastics/index.html) [Read More](../guest-blog-kids-taking-action-plastics/index.html)

Tisha Brown - 26th March 2018

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