Tesco saved 1m plastic bags Saturday
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Discount retailer Tesco Lotus said it saved a million plastic bags in the first day of a government campaign to stop use of disposable sacks on the 15th of every month.
The Department of Environmental Quality Promotion has enrolled 15 retailers in the programme that began Saturday. Charkrit Direkwattanachai, Tesco Lotus’ head of corporate communication and sustainability, said the company has set a goal to save 40 million plastic bags in 2015 under its own “proud not to use plastic bags” campaign.
The store began efforts to reduce plastic use in 2010 and so far has saved 50 million bags.
According to statistics from the Pollution Control Department, the average Thai uses eight plastic bags per day; a total of 2.7 million tonnes of plastic and polystyrene foam waste or an average of 7,000 tonnes per day. Of that, 80%, or 5,300 tonnes, is plastic bags, which generally take up to 450 years to degrade.
Questions & Answers
Q.Did Tesco Lotus achieve its plastic bag saving goal for the first day of the government campaign?
Did Tesco Lotus achieve its plastic bag saving goal for the first day of the government campaign?
Yes, Tesco Lotus saved one million plastic bags on the first day of the government campaign. This matches the company's stated daily target for the initiative.
Q.How many plastic bags has Tesco Lotus saved since it began its own reduction efforts?
How many plastic bags has Tesco Lotus saved since it began its own reduction efforts?
Tesco Lotus has saved a total of 50 million plastic bags since it started its own efforts to reduce plastic use in 2010. This figure includes achievements prior to the new government campaign.
Q.What is the broader goal Tesco Lotus has set for plastic bag reduction this year?
What is the broader goal Tesco Lotus has set for plastic bag reduction this year?
Tesco Lotus aims to save 40 million plastic bags throughout 2015 as part of its 'proud not to use plastic bags' campaign. This is a company-specific target beyond the monthly government initiative.
Q.How many other retailers are participating in the government's plastic bag reduction programme?
How many other retailers are participating in the government's plastic bag reduction programme?
The Department of Environmental Quality Promotion has enrolled 15 retailers in total for the programme. This collaborative effort includes Tesco Lotus as one of the participants.