BY COLLEEN KERN
I recently read an article showcasing the results of Ethiopia’s single-use plastic bag ban. It made me curious: How are countries around the world reducing our reliance on single-use plastic bags?
Turns out, quite a few countries are making bold moves — and some of the results are already showing.
AFRICA
Ethiopia – Ethiopia’s ban on single-use plastic bags took effect on January 31, 2026, with fines for individuals and license suspensions for manufacturers. The EPA Director General reports it is already delivering strong early outcomes and visible improvement.
Kenya – Kenya’s 2017 ban carries penalties of up to four years in prison, making it one of the world’s strictest on paper. However, plastic bag smugglers and weak enforcement are known to undermine progress. In September last year, the National Environment Management Authority issued a new warning that those caught manufacturing, selling, or importing plastic bags would face fines up to KSh 4 million — the equivalent of $30,000 USD.
ASIA
Bangladesh – In 2002, Bangladesh became the first country in the world to ban thin polythene bags, driven by a national emergency: Plastic waste was clogging drainage systems and worsening devastating floods in Dhaka. Enforcement has been mixed, but the precedent was historic — it inspired over 100 nations to follow suit.
Taiwan – Taiwan’s 12-year phased plan began in 2019 with a ban on plastic straws, expanding fees on bags and cups by 2025, with full elimination of single-use plastics targeted by 2030.
AUSTRALIA
South Australia was the first Australian state to ban single-use bags, and today all states and territories have committed to banning various single-use plastics — from cutlery and straws to polystyrene containers — with South Australia’s bans continuing to expand through September last year.
EUROPE
Denmark holds the Guinness World Record for the first plastic bag tax, introduced in 1994. It inspired Ireland (2002), Scotland (2014), and Wales (2011) to follow — each reporting plastic bag use reductions of over 70%.
European Union – The EU’s Single-Use Plastics Directive banned 10 specific plastic items across all 27 member states in 2021, from bags, plates, and cutlery, to balloons and cotton bud sticks.
NORTH AMERICA
Canada – In 2022, Canada enacted the Single-use Plastics Prohibition Regulations (SUPPR), which prohibit checkout bags, straws, stir sticks, and single-use cutlery, aiming to meet a target of zero plastic waste by 2030. The listing of prohibited plastic items was upheld by the Federal Court of Appeals in January 2026.
Jamaica – Jamaica banned plastic bags, straws, and polystyrene in 2019 and continues to enforce its policies with a zero-tolerance approach island-wide.
United States – While there is still no national ban on single-use plastic bags, 12 states — California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington — have implemented comprehensive statewide bans on single-use plastic bags and have expanded legislation to prohibit thicker “reusable” plastic bags that were previously used as loopholes.
SOUTH AMERICA
Chile – In 2018, Chile became the first country in the Americas to ban plastic bags nationally. By 2021, the ban expanded to cutlery and cups at restaurants and takeaway establishments.
Peru banned single-use plastics from all cultural heritage sites and natural parks, meaning tourists can no longer bring plastic bags, bottles, straws, or foam containers into places like Machu Picchu. A national law passed unanimously in 2018 has since expanded those restrictions countrywide.
From bag bans to phased national strategies, the momentum is real and growing. Curious about how plastic pollution is being tackled globally? Global Plastic Action Partnership is a great place to start.
Visit www.globalplasticaction.org for more info.
