The Greek market will rise to the challenge of eliminating single-use plastics, replacing them with green alternatives.
Mitsotakis made an announcement in New York, where he was taking part in the UN Climate Action Summit, that single-use plastics will be banned across Greece as of 2021.
Greece has already made some progress in this regard by charging users of plastic carrier bags with an environmental tax over the last couple of years, in compliance with a European Union directive.
This measure reduced the use of single-use plastic bags by an estimated 80 to 85 percent in 2018, compared to the year before, according to a survey by the Institute of Retail Consumer Goods (IELKA).
Applying a ban to all types of single-use plastics, such as cups, bottles, straws and other commodities of everyday use may seem more difficult, but it is entirely feasible for Greece, said Ilianna Kosta, a product designer of a local manufacturer of bamboo-made biodegradable utensils.
“The Greek market is working very hard to show progress in this respect, and is advancing fast. Local business has made a dynamic entry in environment-friendly products and Greek society has also matured toward that,” said Kosta.
