Japan plans to charge plastic shopping bags at supermarkets, convenience stores, drugstores, and department stores. Environment Minister Yoshiaki Harada said that his ministry intends to introduce a new law that would charge the use of plastic bags. Harada said that the charge is not big but it would be a good start to fight marine pollution. The ministry asks sellers to charge up to 10 yen for each plastic bag. The money collected will be used in environmental acts. A report added that Japan produces the largest amount of plastic waste after the United States. It is estimated that there are over 8 million tons of plastic waste that flow into the oceans every year.