U.S. President Trump's Reversal on Plastic Straw Ban To Impact Asia

TaiwanPlus News

Following U.S. President Trump's executive order to reverse a ban on single-use plastic straws, conservationists across Asia have set off alarm bells. They say the new policy will have global repercussions and could thwart their conservation efforts.

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00:00Known for its culture and natural landscapes, Bali receives millions of tourists every year.

00:07But that popularity has taken a toll on the Indonesian island.

00:11Millions of tons of trash wash up on Bali's beaches each year.

00:15And local conservationists say it will only get worse, following U.S. President Donald

00:20Trump's executive order to roll back a ban on plastic drinking straws.

00:25It's very disappointing.

00:27The developed countries should be able to give a good example.

00:32They should have been taught how to clean and reduce their trash.

00:37But now they are starting to use plastic straws again.

00:44The impact is...

00:47Conservationist Komang Sudiarta has spent his career tackling Bali's waste problems,

00:54urging his government to put restrictions on companies that produce plastic straws,

00:58and educating residents of the importance of recycling.

01:02He says Trump's decision to remove the plastic straw ban means he will have to double down

01:07on his cleanup efforts here in Bali.

01:10And Bali locals echo those concerns.

01:13We are used to not using plastic in Bali.

01:16Everywhere we go, everything is replaced with paper towels or metal towels.

01:20So for me, it's a blunder from President Trump for this environmental company.

01:27Conservationists in Thailand's Phuket island have also set off alarm bells about Trump's decision.

01:33According to statistics from the Thai government, a third of endangered species in Thailand's

01:37upper Andaman Sea are affected by plastic pollution.

01:41This includes the many sea turtle species that call these waters home.

01:46And conservationists say excessive waste of any kind, not just plastic, is to blame.

02:17The world dumped over 80 million tons of plastic waste into the environment in 2020.

02:24And that number is projected to reach nearly 120 million tons by 2040.

02:30And as Trump continues to weaken environmental commitments, including removing the United

02:34States from the Paris Climate Agreement again in his second term, conservationists in Bali

02:39and in Phuket say it will only aggravate matters, as they will be among those dealing with the

02:45repercussions.

02:47Joseph Wu and Wesley Lewis for Taiwan Plus.

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