Greece bans single-use plastics to tackle coastal pollution

The Greek government announced on the 16th that it will ban the use of single-use plastic products before June 2020 to improve coastal garbage polluti.

Greek Environment Minister Kostis Khazizakis said that 39 tons of plastic waste enters the ocean every day in Greece, and many of them become "feed" for fish, endangering the marine food cha.

"Tackling plastic pollution is a priority for the government," Khazizakis sa.

Khazizakis said the European Commission asked member states to ban single-use plastics by July 202 Greece will soon push for legislation to implement EU guidelines a year ear.

According to the Greek Lascarides Charitable Foundation, Greece imports about 700,000 tons of plastic raw materials every year and discards 40,000 tons of plastic, 70% of which are left on the coast; every summer, 76% of the waste plastic is on the coa.

Agence France-Presse reported that Greece's recycling of waste, especially plastics, lags behind its neighbors, which are also members of the European Union, and introduced charges for plastic bags in stores in January 201