The Worldwide Ban On Plastic Bags
How Different Areas Are Trying To Reduce the Consumption of Plastic
Many countries are pushing for a ban on plastic bags in grocery stores, causing resistance from plastic makers and lawmakers to come up with different solutions.
Going Green
Countries all over the world are beginning to rethink the use of plastic bags in grocery stores. This ban is sparked by the world’s increasing effort to go green. San Francisco became the first U.S. city to ban grocery stores and pharmacies from bagging purchases in plastic bags in March 2007. Since then, dozens of other areas have considered banning or restricting plastic bags as well.
Resistance
This movement is being met with resistance by the plastics industry, who have filed lawsuits against environmental groups to prevent the bans from going through, determined to win their fight one city at a time if necessary. In response, these areas have first started voluntary recycling programs so that a majority of these bags may be reused. These cities include New York, Austin, Phoenix, Annapolis and Los Angeles County. However, those for the ban say these methods are ineffective and that only one to five percent of the plastic bags that are sent out are recycled through this program.
Plastic bags are also said to be difficult to recycle because they get caught in recycling machines and need to be extensively cleaned since they tend to dirty easily. Only Trex. Co. in Viriginia takes in 70 percent of the country’s recycled plastic bags, mixing them with wood scraps to create wooden decks. However, they report to have lost $75 million since doing this, showing companies that recycling is too costly to be a good business practice. However, Phoenix, Arizona is really pushing for its citizens to recycle, having created a “Bag Central Station” program which offers education incentives and free reusable bags in exchange for recycling.
Meanwhile, the paper industry is pushing for the ban, hoping for paper bag production to increase and be the primary bagging material used in stores. Currently, stores consume an estimated 92 million plastic bags each year compared to only five billion paper bags. However, this push for paper also means resisting the possible introduction of fabric bags.
Negative Effects of Plastic
Plastic bags are a definite pollution hazard. Their production requires large amounts of petroleum, a fact that is causing Sunoco among others to join in on the fight against the ban. Once used, their light weight tends to float away on a breeze where they can land in tress or on bodies of water where animals can choke on them. They get caught in sewer systems and plug up the sewage. They also take over 1,000 years to deteriorate. In their defense, they argue that replacing plastic with paper bags is more costly, polluting, and requires more energy to produce.
Other Options
Another option is to charge shoppers a fee for plastic bags, which has been used in Ireland, causing a 90 percent drop in plastic bag use. This idea was not met well with grocers when Phoenix proposed it, leading to them to pursue the recycling method. However, one chain, the Whole Foods Market, has decided to totally eliminate plastic bags starting on Earth Day, April 22, switching to 100 percent recycled paper bags and reusable bags.
