TOKYO: At least 67 local governments in Japan have declared their commitment to reducing plastic waste in order to resolve the issue of marine plastic pollution, according to an Environment Ministry survey.

As of Nov. 28, 2019, such declarations had been made by 15 prefectural governments and 52 city, ward and town governments, including those located inland.

In the declarations, residents are asked to cooperate by using their own shopping bags and bottles. The declarations also include warnings against littering and calls for the promotion of local cleaning campaigns.

Many of the 67 local governments ban the distribution of drinks contained in plastic bottles to outside experts invited to meetings.

Another popular measure is a pledge to replace plastic goods sold at stores inside local government buildings with items made from recycled or alternative materials.

Those that have stopped distributing drinks in plastic bottles at meetings include the Miyagi Prefecture city of Kesennuma, the Saitama Prefecture cities of Koshigaya and Tokorozawa, Tokyo, the Kanagawa Prefecture city of Yokohama, Osaka Prefecture and its namesake capital.

The Tokyo metropolitan government also bans the use of disposable plastic straws, muddlers and cups.

“It takes more time and effort to prepare glasses or cups of drinks than plastic bottles,” a Yokohama government official said. “But the effort is shared across our office in order to reduce plastic waste.”

“Officials at sections not directly related to environmental affairs have become aware of the plastic waste issue more keenly as they stopped serving drinks in plastic bottles at meetings,” said an official of the Osaka prefectural government.

JIJI Press