Hello there,

Let me begin with a story that made my blood race the other week:

Australia has moved to ban fish-shaped plastic soy sauce sachets in takeaway meals. 🐟 Something so small yet symbolic of the world of waste we allow to persist.

Why this matters so much?

It's about policy that forces change. Because in the circular economy, bans aren’t just constraints.

They’re signals.
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The voice of the people is clear? Surveys show that 85% of people want global bans on single-use plastics.

❌ Why bans matter now

• Single-use plastics are the fastest-growing fraction of waste worldwide.
• They leak everywhere: beaches, rivers, marine life, soil.
• Recycling and cleanup alone can never keep pace. We need to stop the leak at source.
• A powerful ban sends a signal: we value durability, not disposability.

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🌍 What do we learn from Australia’s sachet ban?

♻️ The ban will force food providers to rethink packaging, supply chains, and refill systems.
♻️ Even a seemingly innocuous item can become a symbolic policy test case.

♻️ It’s a demonstration that regulation can lead innovation.

♻️ It will shift behaviour.

Other symbolic bans:

1. United States, Microbeads ban in rinse-off cosmetics: In 2015, Congress passed the Microbead-Free Waters Act, prohibiting the manufacture of rinse-off cosmetics containing plastic microbeads starting July 1, 2017, and banning their sale from July 1, 2018. This law has effectively removed microbeads from many everyday products. However: the ban only covers rinse-off products.

2. Australia, Victorian single-use plastic ban:. From 1 February 2023, problematic single-use plastics were banned from sale or supply in Victoria. The ban applies to conventional, degradable and compostable plastics. expanded polystyrene food and drink containers. Since the ban, many retailers and food outlets have shifted to reusable or paper alternatives

3. EU, single-use plastic ban: From 3 July 2021, single-use plastic plates, cutlery, straws, balloon sticks and cotton buds cannot be placed on the markets of the EU Member States. The scope is wide, removing many of the most common disposable plastic items in the environment. Challenges remain with enforcement.

4. Canada, microbead ban: Microbeads are defined as plastic microbeads that are ≤ 5 mm in size. In June 2017, the Microbeads in Toiletries Regulations were published.

5. Belize, Island Plastic Bans: Belize, known for the 2nd largest barrier reef in the world, banned single-use plastic items, such as cutlery, bags and straws, in March 2022,

6. Peru, protecting its heritage: The country is implementing a plastic bag ban at Machu Picchu. Peru's Congress passed legislation that bans the use of plastic bags and restricts other single-use plastics including straws. The measures also prohibit the use of plastics in Peru's beaches, coast, and the country's many protected areas.

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Which iconic bans are you aware of?

Effectiveness varies

Effectiveness of single use regulations (and its adoption) depends on factors like enforcement capacity or consumer reception.

Overview of phase out of lightweight plastic bags (Wikipedia):

👉 Your move this week:
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Ask a brand you support or a company you buy from:
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“Will you support a ban on your disposable packaging?”
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Or, write to your local city or constituency representative: “When will you push for a phase-out of plastic sachets, straws andbags?”

We live at a moment when small bans can unlock big shifts.
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Let’s not delay.

Harald

Where to find me (in person🙂):

23 October 2025: Camacol Summit, Barranquilla/Colombia

10-18 November 2025: COP 30, Belem/Brazil.

20 November 2025: Amsterdam Circular Ecosystem Day

30 March - 1 April 2026: changeNOW, Paris/France.

Before you go, rate today's email 💙💙💙💙💙 💙💙💙 💙

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Go deeper with my book: "The Customer is the Planet: A handbook for sustainable business" which I co-authored in 2024. ​
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