Central Food Hall and Tops wish to cut down on plastic use with a plastic-bag-free day on the third day of each month.
They are joining forces with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment to launch the “Tops… Follow your Heart and Save the Environment” campaign, starting on August 3. With all 277 branches nationwide joining the campaign, the campaign is predicted to reduce bag use by 3 million this year.
“We also stop using plastic straws and change to biodegradable straws made from cornstarch. These 100 per cent natural straws will break down and degrade in just six months,” Central Food Hall and Tops said.
General Surasak Karnjanarat, the environment minister, said: “The government is very concerned about waste problems, especially plastic waste.
Thailand annually consumes 45 billion plastic bags, 6.8 billion foam food containers and 9.8 billion plastic cups.
They are all single-use, they do not decompose and pollute land, waterways and oceans, killing marine life.
Toxic chemicals in plastics also have a long-term negative health effect on human beings.
The government says it is everyone’s responsibility to separate plastic waste so it can be recycled, although this is far less effective than reducing use.
