Just weeks ago, many American cities and states were enforcing restrictions on the use of plastics in stores and restaurants. Shoppers were required to bring reusable bags to food stores or pay a small amount of money to receive a bag. Restaurants in some areas were told not to use some plastic takeout containers. The efforts are part of a widespread U.S. movement to remove one-use plastic bags from everyday life. But the COVID-19 pandemic has changed everything. In just a few days, U.S. bans to reduce the use of plastics, mostly shopping bags, have been ignored by a public afraid of getting coronavirus. Governors in Massachusetts and Illinois have banned or urged against the use of reusable cloth bags often brought to food stores. Oregon suspended its new ban on plastic bags this week.
Title: Pandemic Deals Blow to Plastic Reduction Efforts
Content: <div id='article-page'><div id='article-content' data-media-url='//news-app-staging.s3.amazonaws.com' data-base-url='//news-app-staging.herokuapp.com' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/4116/4.15.20b.wav' data-capture-url='//staging.analytics.lingraphica.com/events/capture_news' data-article-title='Pandemic Deals Blow to Plastic Reduction Efforts' data-article-id='4619'><script src='//news-app-staging.herokuapp.com/javascripts/getscripts.js'></script><link rel='stylesheet' href='//news-app-staging.herokuapp.com/stylesheets/article.css' type='text/css' /><div class='article'><p><span data-start-time='0' data-end-time='12021'>Just weeks ago, many American cities and states were enforcing restrictions on the use of plastics in stores and restaurants.</span> <span data-start-time='12021' data-end-time='22583'>Shoppers were required to bring reusable bags to food stores or pay a small amount of money to receive a bag.</span> <span data-start-time='22583' data-end-time='29729'>Restaurants in some areas were told not to use some plastic takeout containers.</span> <span data-start-time='29729' data-end-time='38833'>The efforts are part of a widespread U.S. movement to remove one-use plastic bags from everyday life.</span> <span data-start-time='38833' data-end-time='44083'>But the COVID-19 pandemic has changed everything.</span> <span data-start-time='44083' data-end-time='57167'>In just a few days, U.S. bans to reduce the use of plastics, mostly shopping bags, have been ignored by a public afraid of getting coronavirus.</span> <span data-start-time='57167' data-end-time='69125'>Governors in Massachusetts and Illinois have banned or urged against the use of reusable cloth bags often brought to food stores.</span> <span data-start-time='69125' data-end-time='74833'>Oregon suspended its new ban on plastic bags this week.</span> </p></div><div class='control-buttons-sticky' style='display:none;'><div class='control-buttons'><button title='Back' class='back' disabled='disabled'></button><button title='Play' class='play' disabled='disabled'></button><button title='Pause' class='pause' style='display:none;'></button><button title='Forward' class='forward' disabled='disabled'></button><button class='finished-reading' style='display:none;'>Done</button></div></div></div><div id='article-media'><div id='media-image'><img src='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/4116/4.15.20b.jpg'/></div></div><div id='question-content' style='display:none;'><div class='vocabulary_question question-container' data-question-id=14764 data-hint-location='12021' style='display:none;'><div class='question' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/4116/what_is_a_reusable_bag.wav'>What is a reusable bag?</div><div class='choices' data-correct-choice='A type of shopping bag which can be reused many times'><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/4116/a_type_of_shopping_bag_which_can_be_reused_many_times.wav'><span>A type of shopping bag which can be reused many times</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/4116/something_used_to_carry_small_pets.wav'><span>Something used to carry small pets</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/4116/a_type_of_new_luggage.wav'><span>A type of new luggage</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/4116/something_used_to_carry_stones_at_a_construction_site.wav'><span>Something used to carry stones at a construction site</span></div></div></div><div class='multiple_choice_question question-container' data-question-id=14765 data-hint-location='69125' style='display:none;'><div class='question' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/4116/when_did_oregon_suspended_its_new_ban_on_plastic_bags.wav'>When did Oregon suspended its new ban on plastic bags?</div><div class='choices' data-correct-choice='This week'><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/4116/last_year.wav'><span>Last year</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/4116/this_week.wav'><span>This week</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/4116/last_month.wav'><span>Last month</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/4116/never.wav'><span>Never</span></div></div></div><div class='sentence_completion_question question-container' data-question-id=14766 data-hint-location='44083' style='display:none;'><div class='question' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/4116/us_bans_to_reduce_the_use_of_plastics_have_been_ignored_by_a_public_afraid_of__blank_.wav'>U.S. bans to reduce the use of plastics have been ignored by a public afraid of <span class='blank'>getting coronavirus</span>.</div><div class='choices' data-correct-choice='getting coronavirus'><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/4116/harming_the_plastic_industry.wav'><span>harming the plastic industry</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/4116/following_rules.wav'><span>following rules</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/4116/spending_too_much_money.wav'><span>spending too much money</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/4116/getting_coronavirus.wav'><span>getting coronavirus</span></div></div></div><div class='question-buttons'><button class='skip-button'></button><button class='hint-button'></button><button class='speak-button'></button></div></div></div>
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