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As has been noted by several other posters, western countries have exported their recyclable trash to China for years. That has pretty much come to a halt, and I don't think it will be long before countries like the US realize just what a mess they have on their hands. Getting rid of single-use plastic now is the best thing we can do.

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>Getting rid of single-use plastic now is the best thing we can do.

Is it really? Single-use plastic from western countries is mostly not the plastic found in oceans. So while they were busy implementing these measures, they do not even scratch the surface of the issue. Do the proponents of these ideas care about the environment at all?

Single use plastic bags are the ones that end up on my porch. And on my street. And the lake at the end of my street. And in my local parks. And in the creek down the block. And in the river running through town.

Single use plastic is an eyesore. It's garbage that doesn't stay where it's supposed to.

Consumers won't notice a difference. They'll continue putting their plastic into recycling bins, so it will continue to not end up in the rivers. Unless there are rogue recycling operators who illegally dump the plastic. But that is not in the hands of the consumers.

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