US finalises plans to phase out single-use plastic on public lands

WASHINGTON – The agency that oversees one-fifth of US lands said on Thursday it finalised plans to

phase out single-use plastics in public spaces

like national parks and wildlife refuges within the next decade.

The blueprints are a key step towards implementing Interior Department Secretary Deb Haaland’s order in 2022 to reduce the procurement, sale and distribution of single-use plastic products and packaging on 194 million ha of public lands.

The move aims to tackle a major source of United States’ plastic waste as recycling rates have faltered.

“As the steward of the nation’s public lands, and as the agency responsible for the conservation and management of fish, wildlife, plants and their habitats, we are uniquely positioned to do better for our earth,” Ms Haaland said in a statement.

Department facilities have already made progress by installing stations to refill reusable water bottles, boosting recycling and seeking alternatives to items like plastic bags and utensils, the agency said.

As part of the effort, bureaus and offices will collect data on plastic use, analyse alternatives and identify priority products to address first.

They will also identify the need for potential funding, according to plans from sub-agencies including the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the National Parks Service, the Fish and Wildlife Service and others.

The plans note the importance of educating employees and the public to change behaviours around plastic use.

For instance, the National Parks Service’s plan said it may connect plastic reduction with the need to protect wildlife or historical sites in park messaging.

The plans will be updated in 2024 to include interim targets and details on how plastics will be eliminated, the agency said. REUTERS