National Parks to Drop Single-Use Plastics Within 10 Years

The U.S. Department of Interior will phase-out the use of single-use plastics from areas it manages, including all national parks, within 10 years.

Interior Secretary Deb Haaland mandated the move, which aims to reduce waste, by 2032 in an order issued on June 8. Products that will be phased out include “plastic and polystyrene food and beverage containers, bottles, straws, cups, cutlery and disposable plastic bags.”

“As the steward of the nation’s public lands, including national parks and national wildlife refuges, and as the agency responsible for the conservation and management of fish, wildlife, plants and their habitats, we are uniquely positioned to do better for our Earth,” Secretary Haaland said.

The travel industry has identified single-use plastics as a key way to reduce its environmental impact. A 2021 report by the World Travel and Tourism Council and the United Nations Environment Program recommended that travel companies reduce use of these products and seek replacements “wherever possible.”