Super-thin plastic bags banned

The State Council, China's cabinet, has released a circular banning the production, sale and use of super-thin plastic bags in China beginning from June 1, 2008, Star Daily reported (in Chinese). The circular set a thickness standard for plastic bags at 0.025mm, and required that retailers stop providing free plastic bags of any thickness to their customers. The State Council called on related authorities such as the Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine and the State Administration of Industry and Commerce to make a joint effort to enforce the regulation. Violators of the rule could face fines and public shaming, as well as confiscation of the bags.