June 2019 - Environmental Highlights
June's environmental headlines have brought a wave of action against plastic from countries, key organisations and communities across the globe.
Here's our round up of the top 10 environmental highlights for June.
1. The UK's biggest retailers to ban 8 plastic items by the end of next year
76 signatories including Boots, M&S, Asda & Coca Cola have signed up to eliminate the following items by the end of 2020; disposable plastic cutlery, plates and bowls, polystyrene packaging, cotton buds with plastic stems, plastic stirrers, plastic straws, pvc packaging and plastic that fragment into microplastics.
2. War on plastic documentary finds UK plastic waste abandoned in Malaysia
Plastic originating from the UK was found among abandoned materials at a recently closed recycling plant in Malaysia. The documentary highlighted shocking facts about plastic.
3. The Oceanic Standard launched in the UK
The Oceanic Standard offers industry-specific guides for adopting sustainable operating practices. The UK edition has now been launched which aims to help ensure businesses are equipped for the transition as bans on single-use plastic come into effect. Green Man were delighted to attend this event.
4. Divers set world record for underwater cleanup of Florida beach
A record breaking 633 scuba divers took part in the cleanup. Elsewhere, a group of divers have been cleaning up an area of the seabed in Bangor, County Down.
5. McDonalds to scrap single-use plastic lids for McFlurrys as well as plastic salad bowls
The change is due to come into effect in all UK restaurants from September with the company aiming to ensure all packaging comes from renewable or recycled sources by 2025.
6. Boots replacing plastic carrier bags with paper carriers
Boots has announced all stores will switch from plastic bags to paper carriers by next year. Managing director, Seb James said the decision means 900 tonnes of plastic will be removed from stores as a result.
7. 33 companies in Ibiza have signed up to the Plastic Free Ibiza campaign
A number of top businesses in Ibiza including ME Ibiza, Hard Rock Hotel Ibiza, Ushuaïa, Heart Ibiza and the Las Dalias market have signed up to the Plastic Free Ibiza campaign which rates businesses based on the number of single-use plastic items they eliminate. Single-use plastics are to be banned in the Balearics from 2021.
8. Plastic bags now illegal in Northern Pakistan
The government has banned the use, purchase, export or import of plastic bags in Hunza, Pakistan in an effort to cut plastic waste and pollution.
Costa Rica announced a ban on Styrofoam which is one of the most widely used forms of plastic, and often found in single-use cups, takeaway containers, and plates. It is estimated that Styrofoam takes between 500 and 1 million years to naturally decompose.
10. Canary Wharf awarded Plastic Free Community status
Canary Wharf has been awarded Plastic Free Communities status by Surfers against Sewage after eliminating more than 1.2 million items of single-use plastic.
