China’s plastic ban extends much further than bags, though. By the end of 2020, China will cut out foam plastic cutlery. By 2022, the package delivery industry in major cities will have to stop using non-reusable tape, packaging, and so on. By 2025, all other towns and villages will have to follow suit. 2025 is also the date at which hotels will no longer be allowed to offer single-use plastics. 

Guess what else China is banning? Everyone’s favorite punching bag, the disposable straw. While disposable straw bans have gained huge traction in the last few years, it’s important to note that such bans often fail to take into account their impact on the disabled community, as explained by Vox, since there are many people who require easy access to straws just to drink beverages. It remains to be seen how (or if) China will address these concerns. 

Now, to be clear, China has many problems, from the blocking of popular websites to countless, severe human rights violations. That said, banning plastic bags, at the very least, is generally a positive move. Plastic bags are overused, wasteful, and have been shown to have a deeply harmful effect on wildlife, since they’re one of the top five items found in waterside cleanups, according to National Geographic. That’s why so many governments across the world, from Kenya to New York, are taking similar steps.