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Capri, an Italian island in the Gulf of Naples, has cracked down on single-use plastic by banning visitors from using non-recyclable plastic items.
The ban, approved by mayor Gianni De Martino, was brought into action on May 1 and prohibits the use, possession, marketing, and importation of disposable products such as bags, plastic cutlery, and plates.
‘A big change’
“It’s a big change, but if we are saving the environment I don’t think anyone will complain,” De Martino told The Times.
Plastic water bottles are still allowed on the island, with plans to phase the use of the product out soon.
‘We’re not going to save the world’
According to The Times, De Martino said: “This summer we will be handing out free water flasks to discourage the use of throwaway bottles, and next year we plan to ban them.
“We are not going to save the world single-handedly — we see the bags and the polystyrene coming in on the current from elsewhere, but tourists are happy to join the effort, and what we started is spreading.”
* This article was updated on May 8 after the original picture used was of Positano, not Capri.
