By IANS/EFE,
Sao Paulo : Brazil has pledged to reduce the use of plastic bags in the country as part of its environment conservation campaign.
Brazil expects to use 1.5 billion fewer plastic bags this year, the official Agencia Brasil news agency reported, citing Environment Minister Carlos Minc.
“Last year, 600 million fewer plastic bags were thrown into the environment. Our goal for this year is for 1.5 billion (fewer),” Minc said at the launch of a campaign at Rio’s Ipanema Beach Sunday.
expressing concern over the impact of non-degradable waste, Minc said that a large number of animals and plants are dying in rivers, lagoons and the sea after becoming entangled in plastic bags.
Brazil’s supermarket chains have also joined the government’s initiative and vowed to take measures to reduce the use of plastics.