Supermarkets in Shanghai will charge shoppers for plastic shopping bags from next year in a bid to reduce waste, local environmental officials said.

According to an online survey conducted by the Environmental Protection Bureau of Shanghai Municipal government, about 90 percent of Shanghai residents surveyed supported the plan.

Imposing charges was planned long ago by the environmental protection bureau to reduce use of the bags, said officials.

Two large chain supermarkets in Shanghai use about 1 million plastic shopping bags each day, most of which were used by shoppers as containers for domestic waste.

Shanghai has launched a three-year environmental protection plan.

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