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Disadvantage and advantages of using plastic bags

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Disadvantage and advantages of using plastic bags

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Transportation is indispensable regardless of how big or small the country is. However, the different modes of transportation make a difference as the emissions it produces varies.
For Singaporeans, the majority of us commute via public transport such as buses and trains. There ought to be some who commute via their personal vehicles due to reasons such as prioritizing convenience, efficiency, and comfort or for commercial use (I.e Taxi drivers or delivery drivers). Even though public transport is accessible and the most widely used, transportation is still one of the main contributors to air pollution in Singapore where it amounts to 14% of Singapore's emissions as of 2018 (CAT, n.d.; NEA, 2020). Singapore is aware of this and has been constantly putting in concerted effort in reducing carbon emissions. Efforts include the increment of cycling paths, plans for conversion of cars to electric ones, construction of more Mass Rapid Transit railway to ease convenience and efficiency, and the provision of grants for companies to install showering facilities. All these encourage everyone including employees to cycle or use other greener modes of transportation other than personal cars and taxis, as they can shower after sweating from running or cycling to work.

In this blog, I will only examine whether the government's effort in promoting cycling as another mode of transportation is sufficient and bring up some points which are worth considering if we would like to increase the uptake of cycling and promote the conversion to electric vehicles in the future.

While governments' efforts are well-intentioned, I think that more could be done as a survey done by my group for an Environmental Competition to understand what discourages people from cycling to work or consider cycling as another mode of transportation, have gathered some thoughts that people have despite government's current efforts:

"Cycling and showering require more time and it will compromise on productivity."

"In a fast-paced society, people just want to get to work fast."

"It's troublesome to cycle to work."

Moreover, our tropical climate is an important factor to consider as we would expect frequent rain or experience hot and humid weather, making it less ideal to cycle in. Some suggested that to curb this issue, sheltered/underground cycling paths could be built. However, I personally think that this would cost a lot of resources (I.e monetary, building resources, time, and manpower) thus decreasing its feasibility. Other concerns include a lack of bicycle parking lots, vandalism or theft of bicycles, having tracks designated just for cycling and not shared with pedestrians to ensure people get to their destination/workplace faster and safer(75% of respondents responded that they will be motivated to cycle to their destination if there is an application showing safe and shortest route). While 25% of the respondents mentioned that they will not be motivated with such an application as they are either lazy, don't know how to cycle, concerned with hot or rainy weather, and the limited bicycle parking lots. Hence if the government wants to increase the uptake rate of cycling, they might need to address these concerns in order to encourage cycling as another mode of transportation and not just for leisure purposes.

On to the idea of converting motor vehicles to electric vehicles, at first sight, it might seem ideal and perfect. However on second thoughts, as Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Kiat aims to increase charging points to 28,000 from a current 1,600 (Kuttan, 2020), it makes me wonder how the government would go about ensuring sufficient green energy to charge electric vehicles. As one electric vehicle would require 10 solar panels or around 30kilowwatt hour(kWh) for full charge and one solar panel produce 4kWh a day with full sunshine, the question is then: how many solar panels do we need to power all the electric vehicles in the future, apart from the 230,000 solar panels that the government plans to use to generate electricity for our homes (Ang, 2019)? Or would the cars be powered by power plants?

You may take a look at this documentary below by ChannelNews Asia which finds out how green are electric vehicles.

From the video above, it shows that in China, the time people choose to charge their electric vehicles matter because, during peak periods, more power generators are activated to meet the spike in demands for electricity for charging. This will then increase carbon emissions for each kWh of electricity generated. However if the electricity comes from solar panels, there would be lesser carbon emissions in the long run. Therefore, it is a lesson for Singapore as it allows us to consider how we would like to go about implementing electric charging infrastructure to prevent our green initiative and intention from going off track(I.e emitting more emissions).

Nevertheless similar to the cycling efforts that Singapore is doing, I think that the government has to address concerns relating to electric vehicles like how long the battery lasts for each charge, how long it takes to charge and how to help consumers better adapt to their behavioral changes(I.e find electric charging spots and wait some time for it to fully charge) when switched to using electric vehicles. With most of the concerns addressed, only then will the consumers be motivated to make the switch. Otherwise, the government's efforts might go to waste when little people are convinced or able to make the switch.

To sum all up, yes, like what the host mentioned in the video that as we move from empathy towards action, it is already something worth celebrating as we are putting in the effort to save our environment. However, apart from just rolling out ideas and hope that the masses adopt ideas magically, it is of utmost importance for the government to know the concerns of the users and address them so that people would have lesser worries and be more convinced to make the switch to greener modes of transportation. This would also apply to other ideas that the government wishes the public to adopt. I sincerely hope that the government would consider my two cents worth which may help them achieve their plans more successfully, once they are rolled out.

Do comment below on what you think is the root problem that hinders people from adopting the ideas introduced by our government. Also, I would appreciate it if you share this blog with relevant agencies so they have some view of what they can do to increase the uptake rate of these ideas.

Your environmental buddy,
Zhi Yong
References:
Ang, H. (2019, October 29). Singapore sets solar energy target for 2030 that would provide enough power for 350,000 homes Retrieved from https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/solar-power-target-energy-350000-homes-2030-hdb-rooftops-12042228

ChannelNews Asia. (2019, June 20). CNA | Coming Clean About Green | E02: Is Green Technology Really Helping The Planet? [Video]. Youtube. https://youtu.be/m02aUhX8qYI

Climate Action Tracker. (n.d.). Singapore Retrieved from https://climateactiontracker.org/countries/singapore/

Kuttan, S. (2020, February 23). Commentary: Electric vehicles will take over Singapore. But here's what must happen first Retrieved from https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/commentary/singapore-budget-2020-electric-vehicles-ice-ves-hybrid-car-2040-12457240

Nation Environment Agency. (2020, October 14). Air Quality Retrieved from https://www.nea.gov.sg/our-services/pollution-control/air-pollution/air-quality

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How does Singapore does reduce air pollution from transportation?

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Transportation is indispensable regardless of how big or small the country is. However, the different modes of transportation make a difference as the emissions it produces varies. For Singaporeans, the majority of us commute via public transport such as buses and trains.

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What happens to the trash you toss into the recycling bin?

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SINGAPORE: Before bringing her recyclables down to the blue bins below her block, Cheryl Lee always takes the time to clean or wash the items that accumulate in her recycling corner at home.

She and her mother make sure to remove all the non-recyclable parts like stickers and loose plastic packaging. For cardboard boxes, they even try to cut out the parts with plastic or tape that cannot be removed before recycling the rest.

On top of recycling in the correct way, the 28-year-old digital communications assistant manager tries to live as sustainably as possible - she uses reusable containers and packaging, and only buys second-hand clothes, among other things.

However, she is well aware that people who go to the same lengths or even further are rare in Singapore, and she only knows of one or two others like her.

Whenever she and her ex-colleagues bought lunch back to the office, Ms Lee always brought along used plastic bags to carry the food - not just for herself, but for every colleague who was with her.

"I would carry it for them because they don't want to do it because they think it's troublesome. So I would do it for them. I would go to each stall that they are at and then I'd ask the aunty to put the plastic containers in the plastic bag I brought for them," she told CNA.

"I did change my approach halfway through because I realised that if you keep nagging people, people will be annoyed at you eventually," she added with a laugh.

Acknowledging that leading an eco-friendly life in every aspect is "a very difficult commitment", Ms Lee said: "As you live your life, there are certain things that you have to see whether you can adapt (to), like being green. And honestly even up to now, I am not zero waste."

And when it comes to recycling, many Singaporeans are still "not very educated" about how to recycle properly, Ms Lee observed.

For example, not everyone will remember or take the effort to remove the non-recyclable parts. "Do you really think that Singaporeans in general will take the time out to do that when they don't even take the time out to do simple things?"
SINGAPORE'S "LOW" DOMESTIC RECYCLING RATE
Over the past decade, Singapore's overall recycling rate has hovered around 60 per cent.

Although that rate is one of the highest in the world, its domestic recycling rate "remains low", said deputy director of Nanyang Polytechnic's School of Chemical and Life Sciences Richard Khaw.

Singapore's domestic recycling rate declined from 22 per cent in 2018 to 17 per cent in 2019, below the European Union, which reported a domestic recycling rate of 46.4 per cent in 2017, he added.

Although the then-Ministry of Environment and Water Resources - now the Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment - conducted nearly 2,000 ground-up activities and reached out to more than 670,000 people, this is only 12 per cent of Singapore's 5.8 million population, Mr Khaw noted, and a portion of the 670,000 people could be from the same households.

One of the biggest challenges for improving recycling rates in Singapore is still the mindset and behaviour of the public, said Ms Jen Teo, executive director of the Singapore Environment Council (SEC).

"More needs to be done to increase personal acceptance and responsibility for recycling in Singapore. Public education, raising consciousness and awareness that eventually lead to mindset changes and actions are key," she said.

"It is not easy, but it can be done."

The lack of recycling knowledge also contributes to contamination, which is one of the "main challenges" cited by NEA.

"Currently, about 40 per cent of what is placed in our blue recycling bins/recycling chutes cannot be recycled and/or are contaminated by food waste," said the agency.

To raise awareness among the public on materials that can be recycled and how to prevent contamination, NEA has placed new labels on all blue recycling bins, stating clearly objects that can or cannot be recycled. All recycling trucks operated by the four public waste collectors have been standardised to make them easily identifiable.

As a Housing and Development Board (HDB) resident regularly exposed to recycling campaigns, Ms Lee thinks NEA is doing its part to educate the public.

"But maybe there isn't a one-size-fits-all approach," she said. It is difficult to compare Singapore's recycling situation to countries like Japan, where citizens have a different attitude towards nature and being environmentally friendly, she added.
RECYCLING CHUTES - YES OR NO?
The convenience of having waste chutes in high-rise HDB and apartment blocks is another factor in the low recycling rate, said Ms Teo.

However, studies have found that households living in apartments with dual chute systems recycle up to three times more than those living in apartments without them, noted Dr Ang.

The survey also found that the average weight of recyclables collected from a block at Treelodge@Punggol in one month was 400kg, four times the amount collected from a typical HDB block without a recycling chute.

In view of the "encouraging results", HDB has since extended the separate recycling chute programme to all new public housing developments launched from January 2014, it said in its response to CNA's queries.
"BEHAVIOURAL NUDGES" AND STARTING YOUNG
With the twin barriers of contamination and convenience firmly in the way of improving local recycling rates, how can people here learn to be better at recycling? Experts CNA spoke to pointed to education from an early age and incentives complemented by stricter restrictions as possible ways to accelerate an improvement in recycling rates.

Noting that people can be driven to action with "behavioural nudges", Ms Samantha Chan, a lecturer at Nanyang Polytechnic's School of Business Management, said the strategies would vary for different target groups.

Children can be educated on recycling through gamification, using mechanics to inspire learning and positive behaviour, she added.

"More needs to be done in shaping the young minds" to play a more "active and effective role" in climate change matters, said founder of Plastic Lite SG Aarti Giri.

"Educational institutions need to play a much more impactful role and impress upon their students that a whole lot of mindset shift, legwork and environmental legislations are needed if we are to have even a fighting chance in mitigating the disastrous effects of the looming climate crisis," she told CNA.

Citing examples at the primary, secondary and tertiary levels, Dr Laura Yap, who is the programme chair for the Diploma in Environmental Science at Republic Polytechnic, said recycling education in schools has had "a positive impact" on students. "So we are doing something right at the school level but this recycling mentality seems to fade as adults transit into the workplace."

More organisations and offices need to take on recycling efforts at their own facilities "so that this recycling mentality can continue and be reinforced further" at the workplace, where people spend a significant amount of time, she said.

"And just like how our school children take home their recycling habits from school, hopefully adults can do the same and bring home their workplace recycling habits."

And there is no shortage of measures from other countries that Singapore can reference, adapt and adopt.

In Japan, there are "literally no garbage cans" on the street because individuals are responsible for processing their waste at home, Dr Ang said. In Switzerland, official garbage bags are available for purchase at a higher price, while recycling is free.

The UK uses a three-pronged strategy - streamlined recycling infrastructure, a comprehensive awareness campaign and policies that include both incentive and taxation measures, he added, describing this as "the key to expediting public adopting".

"Recycling is a behaviour, much like exercising to keep fit or eating healthily, people often engage in these behaviours less than they should," said Dr Ang.

While he believes that Singapore is still lagging behind in terms of legislation for individual recycling efforts, he is "more inclined" to education than legislation, as the former will be "more sustainable in the long run".

Echoing Mr Khaw's thoughts on the necessary infrastructure, he added: "All of us want convenience and it is one of the strongest predictors of whether or not somebody will participate in the recycling programmes that we currently have in place.

"So obviously, if the infrastructure is not fully mature or made convenient for one to use, we cannot expect people to participate fully."
"COUCH EFFECT" AND INDIFFERENCE
Even with education and legislation, consumers still need to be convinced to play a more active role in protecting the environment, said Ms Giri.

"I see the 'couch effect' is very ingrained in our society and the call to get off and be more proactive - whether in the area of recycling, BYO (bring your own) or supporting low carbon activities - has to be convincing enough to break this indifference," she added.

"The current approach of requesting and appealing to people's empathy may just not 'do it'."

Many youths today are indeed sensitive about the waste that is being generated, said Republic Polytechnic's Dr Yap.

Responding to queries, the National Youth Council confirmed that it has seen a steady interest in ground-up environmental projects through funding applications from 2017 to 2019, including ones for recycling initiatives.

The council administers the Young ChangeMakers grant to provide seed funding for ground-up initiatives by youths. The National Youth Fund also supports similar initiatives.

Echoing Ms Giri, Ms Lee said people "don't like to be told what to do", and they "don't see the direct effect" of not being environmentally friendly.

"It's only when you see it happening, like (when) it's causing harm to you, then you start to (think) like 'Oh my God, what?"

Even climate change scientists struggle to convince people to take action, she added. "I think it's because it's not yet causing inconvenience to people's daily life, therefore, it's out of sight out of mind. So they're not motivated to make a change."

However, she is not completely pessimistic about her ability to influence the people around her. After leaving her previous job, a few of her former colleagues told her that they now carry around a reusable bag because of her.

"And then they said: 'You know, now if I go to the hawker centre, if I don't bring a plastic bag I'll feel really bad.'

"It could just be one or two people, but can you imagine like it's a butterfly effect ... All you just need is to impact one or two people. And then from there, if they impact one or two people on their end, then eventually it spreads."

INDUSTRY WASTE
Another common refrain Ms Lee has heard is that the waste produced by a single person makes up a very small and insignificant percentage of the total waste produced.

The absolute amount of non-domestic waste produced far outweighs the amount of waste produced by households. According to NEA statistics, 5.37 million tonnes of non-domestic waste was produced in 2019, compared to 1.87 million tonnes of domestic waste.

Similarly, in 2018, 5.7 million tonnes of waste produced was non-domestic, while 2 million tonnes of waste was produced by households.

Both of these figures saw a drop the next year. Among households, the recycling rate fell from 22 per cent in 2018 to 17 per cent in 2019, while the non-domestic recycling rate decreased from 75 per cent in 2018 to 73 per cent.

According to NEA's website, the Environmental Public Health Act was amended on Apr 1, 2014 to compel industrial, trade, commercial or manufacturing premises to report waste data and submit waste reduction plans. Owners and managers of large hotels and malls have reported their general waste data and waste reduction plans to NEA since 2014.

And it appears that recycling efforts have improved since the implementation of the Mandatory Waste Reporting Exercise.

Between 2014 and 2018, the proportion of premises that recycle increased from 91 to 93 per cent for large hotels and from 80 to 94 per cent for large malls, according to NEA statistics.

The respective industry recycling rates also improved between 2014 and 2018, from 6 per cent to 7.7 per cent for large hotels and 6.7 per cent to 10.7 per cent for large malls.

In Mar 2019, Dr Khor announced that the mandatory waste reporting scheme will be extended to large industrial developments and convention centres.

This will apply to factories, warehouses and convention centres with gross floor areas of more than 20,000 sq m, 50,000 sq m and 8,000 sq m, respectively. They will need to track the amount of waste they generate from 2020 and submit their first reports to NEA in 2021.

In response to queries about how they manage waste and how much is recycled, companies CNA spoke to shared measures they take to improve recycling and reduce waste.

IKEA Singapore's employees collect cardboard and plastic packaging after unpacking goods. They then segregate the packaging materials into recycling bins and sell the cardboard and paper to a recycling provider while providing the plastic free-of-charge.

The recycling provider then sells to local traders who ship it to recycling plants in Indonesia, Malaysia or other countries in the region.

IKEA's two stores here collected 1,946 tonnes of carton boxes and 48 tonnes of plastic wrappings in 2019, said the furniture giant, adding that it recycles 73 per cent of its total waste. By 2030, IKEA plans to produce all the home furnishing in its stores from recycled, recyclable or renewable materials.

On the hotel front, Holiday Inn Singapore Atrium recycles 100 per cent of its paper and plastic bottles. Its average paper waste is 100kg a month, while its average plastic bottle waste is about 35kg a month, said a spokesperson.

Meanwhile, Marriott International aims to reduce the amount of waste it sends to landfills by 45 per cent, said a spokesperson. All the plastic and paper waste produced at its hotels is recycled, and it has contracted third-party companies to collect the waste on a weekly or monthly basis.

The international hotel chain has also placed recycling bins in each guest room and labelled bins for proper waste segregation at back of house areas.

Supermarkets also deal with large amounts of packaging waste, and have begun to implement similar initiatives.

According to its 2019 sustainability report, Sheng Siong recycled 7,160 tonnes of carton materials last year, compared to 6,531 tonnes in 2018. It also recycled 7,622 units of wooden pallets in 2019, a sharp increase from 2,914 units in 2018.

Other than carton materials, wooden pallets and food waste, Sheng Siong also recycles plastic, stretched film, Styrofoam boxes, cans and metals.

NTUC FairPrice said it is currently working to collect data across all FairPrice stores and warehouses to prepare for its first Mandatory Packaging Report, and "it is too soon to be able to share meaningful data".

The supermarket chain said it is "committed to environmental sustainability in (its) operations where possible" and stands in "full support" of the Government's measures to reduce packaging waste. It has implemented "green operating procedures" at all FairPrice stores and warehouses, where recyclable waste such as carton boxes are collected for recycling.
IF IT CAN'T BE RECYCLED, IT BURNS
Singapore's recycling rate is also affected by how much of the waste sent to recycling centres - local and overseas - can actually be recycled. With more countries closing their borders to imported waste and low local recycling capacities, more of Singapore's recyclables may burn in incinerators.

And this will drive recycling rates back down. With overall recycling rates sticking at about 60 per cent in recent years, Singapore is currently falling short of its 65 per cent Sustainable Development Blueprint target for 2020.

This is part of Singapore's journey to meet the United Nations' High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development's 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which in 2015 set goals for countries around the world to take action in areas of critical importance for humanity and the planet.

Singapore's 2030 goal has been set at 70 per cent.

China announced in July 2017 that it would no longer import "foreign garbage". In 2019, 30 per cent of recyclable materials was exported to countries including Australia, China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, South Korea and Thailand for processing and recycling, said NEA.

A CNA report in 2018 found that where public waste collectors used to collect household recyclables, sort out the plastics and sell them to China, they were incinerating them instead.

The "persistently weak global market demand" for plastic recyclables was a key reason for the drop in the plastic recycling rate in 2019, said NEA, adding that it was "developing our local recycling capabilities" to treat post-consumer plastic waste, including PET beverage bottles.

Singapore's largest materials recovery facility, which belongs to Sembcorp, can be found in Tuas. It receives up to 60 tonnes of materials from household collections per day, of which only 50 to 60 per cent is suitable for recycling, as the remaining is contaminated or not recyclable.

"In general, over the past few years, we have also not seen significant improvement to the contamination level of household recyclables that come through our facility," said Mr Neo Hong Keat, senior vice-president of waste management at Sembcorp Industries.

As a sorting facility, Sembcorp collects mixed recyclables and relies on a team of 20 workers to sort them into different waste streams, bale them and send them to authorised dealers in Singapore, including recyclers like Plaspulp Union.

The plastic recycling facility in Tuas South, which has been around for more than 20 years, receives about 20 to 30 tonnes of plastic a day. The facility can process 30 to 40 tonnes of plastic per day.

About 5 to 8 per cent of the waste received cannot be recycled, depending on the type of plastic they receive and the contamination rate, said operation manager Jade Loh.

The waste is segregated and then put through the recycling machine to be crushed, re-processed and recycled into plastic pellets. The plastic pellets are then sold to bag manufacturers, agricultural firms and moulding companies to make objects like toys and chairs.

Temasek Polytechnic's Dr Ang also noted that Singapore's practice of discarding recyclable waste in a common blue bin before sorting it at a central facility costs more than sorting it in multiple bins from the start.

"Therefore, it may appear more cost effective to treat the waste using the usual incineration process," he said.

With such constraints, Plaspulp is one of a "handful" of recyclers left. Several have closed over the past two years, said Ms Loh.

WASTE-TO-ENERGY PLANTS TO COMPLEMENT RECYCLING
To deal with the waste it cannot export and cannot recycle, Singapore is moving towards more efficient and innovative processes in solid waste management, said Assistant Professor Grzegorz Lisak from the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Nanyang Technological University (NTU).

He told CNA that waste-to-energy solutions are already "quite established" in Singapore, with four plants that incinerate non-recyclable combustible waste.

"This allows for waste volume reduction, which helps to reduce the use of scarce land for waste disposal. Ash from the incineration plants and non-incinerable waste are transported and disposed at Semakau Landfill," said Asst Prof Lisak.

Waste-to-energy incineration is feasible in Singapore, as it helps to reduce the volume of waste by up to 90 per cent, he added.

"Not everything can burn though. There are non-combustible components in waste. It is challenging to recover these materials after (the) incineration process.

"If everyone does their part and throws recyclable waste such as glass bottles, metal cans, electronic waste into separate recycling bins, the zero waste initiative would be more effective."

NTU operates the only waste-to-energy gasification plant in Singapore - it processes municipal waste to produce synthesis gas that can be used to generate electricity more efficiently than incineration plants, or as feedstock for chemical synthesis from waste.

"The technology treats waste, recovering energy just like in the incineration plant while simultaneously recovering materials such as metal and slag, both of which have direct industrial applications," said Asst Prof Lisak.

The plant, funded by NEA, NTU, the Economic Development Board and the National Research Foundation, also serves as a testbed for new waste-to-energy solutions.

Asst Prof Lisak also noted that there is "an ongoing effort" to further the sustainability of waste management practices, evident from the Government's plans to construct an integrated waste management facility by 2024 for resource and energy recovery from incinerable waste, recyclables, food waste and sewage sludge.

"Going forward, I would presume the Government's approach will be multi-pronged, with the waste-to-energy efforts being complemented by efforts to boost recycling rates."

Responding to questions about whether waste-to-energy plants could be a more worthwhile investment compared to recycling plants, Asst Prof Lisak stressed that there is "no single waste treatment solution" that works for all types of waste.

"Investing in just waste-to-energy plants and not doing the same in recycling plants would be an unsustainable approach. Not only would such an approach involve significant monetary costs, it would also be accompanied by a huge cost to the environment," he said.

"If materials that can be recycled end up in incineration plants, there would be a significant stress on Earth's natural resources. An ever-increasing amount of our limited natural resources will be consumed in producing fresh goods."
"WE ALL DESERVE IT"
For Ms Lee, these efforts cannot come any sooner.

"I am sorry to say we're ignorant individuals, to be very honest. And that's not really everybody's fault - no, it's just the way society is ... when it comes to the Earth," she said.

"But it is something that we can change."

It is "very important to keep reiterating that it's not about recycling but reducing" even though people know "in theory" that consumption is what drives production. With demand and supply comes manufacturing and production, which creates carbon footprints, she added.

"It's simply because human beings create a lot of social norms and behaviours and habits, therefore, there's so much demand for certain things which create all these problems ... We are trying our best to save the Earth, but then unfortunately most of the human beings are not with us, so I've come to the acceptance that we all deserve it."

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IN FOCUS: 'It is not easy, but it can be done' - The challenges of raising Singapore's recycling rate

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SINGAPORE: Before bringing her recyclables down to the blue bins below her block, Cheryl Lee always takes the time to clean or wash the items that accumulate in her recycling corner at home. She and her mother make sure to remove all the non-recyclable parts like stickers and loose plastic packaging.

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Plastic bags are a convenient way to carry our purchased goods when we go shopping. They are a part of our modern lives, and we don't tend to think much about them. In fact, it is estimated that up to 10 million plastic bags are used every minute around the world [1].

300 to 700 plastic bags pass through the hands of an average American in just one year [8] and a survey of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs concluded that the average household in the United Kingdom stores around 40 plastic shopping bags at home [2].

What about you? Do you also have that overflowing kitchen drawer full of plastic bags you bring from your shopping trips?

If the answer is yes, you should know that this inadvertent overconsumption of single-use plastic carries with it a very high cost to the environment, which in turn also negatively affects our health.

How? Well, let's have a look at the most important reasons why single-use plastic bags should be banned right now.

10 Good reasons why are plastic bags bad for us and for the environment

#1 Plastic bags pollute our land and water

Plastic bags are everywhere. Look around and you will notice that plastic bags are the most common litter. Tangled in trees and fences along roads, floating in water, lying on the ground in parks and forests, surrounding garbage bins, washed off on beaches...

Because they are so lightweight, plastic bags get easily picked up by wind and travel long distances by wind and water to pollute the nature.

Plastic bag litter has even caused great problems in some areas. For example, millions of discarded plastic bags clog water drainage channels and sewers in urban areas of Bangladesh. When the monsoon rains start, streets get waterlogged just after the first few minutes because the water cannot pass through clogged sewerage pipes.

For many of us it is hard to imagine that something as small as a plastic bag can actually cause flooding, but residents of some cities in Bangladesh have been struggling with this problem every monsoon season for the past two decades [3].

The Pasig River in the Philippines is another scary example of the negative effects of plastic bags on the environment. Some tributaries of the river have been filled with plastic waste to the level that you could almost walk across them without getting your feet wet. Unfortunately, such a high level of pollution doesn't come without consequences. The Pasig River is the eight worst source of ocean plastic pollution in the world.

#2 Plastic bags are made from non-renewable resources and contribute to climate change

We hear everywhere around us that we need to save energy. It is good for our environment, health and global climate. But only a few of us realize that each time we accept those disposable plastic grocery bags at store checkout, we actively participate in wasting energy and depleting non-renewable resources.

The majority of plastic bags are made of polyethylene, a substance that is derived from crude oil refining and natural gas processing.

Oil and natural gas are non-renewable fossil fuel-based resources and through their extraction and production, they emit greenhouse gases, which contribute to global climate change.

The production of these bags is very energy intensive. Globally, 8 to 10 percent of our current oil supply goes to a plastic bag manufacture [4]. In the United States alone, statistics reach up to 12 million barrels of oil that are used each year to produce even more plastic bags - 100 billion more, to give you the precise number [5].
To produce nine plastic bags, it takes the equivalent energy to drive a car one kilometer (more than 0.5 miles).
Using these non-renewable resources to make plastic bags is very short-sighted, considering that the typical useful life of each plastic bag is about 12 minutes and that the world's oil reserves contain enough oil to cover our needs through 2050, as the U.S. Energy Information Administration estimates.

#3 Plastic bags never break down

Petroleum-based plastic bags are composed of very resistant synthetic polymers that may take up to 1,000 years or never until they completely degrade in natural environments [6]

What does occur in most instances is that when out in the environment, the plastic breaks up into tiny microscopic pieces that get deposited in soils (where we grow food) or contaminate waterways. These pieces can be so small that they are invisible to our eye.

You can be sure of one thing, though. Even when you don't see it, these indestructible particles are everywhere around us, including in the food chain.

Already in 2001, researchers found that the mass of microscopic plastic fragments in the North Pacific Central Gyre was 6 times higher than of plankton. The subtropical gyres of the North Pacific Ocean are also documented to contain the highest concentrations of plastic. It's because Asian and US coastlines release large amounts of plastic waste in the ocean [7].

But this comes along with many unanswered questions. We do not know the full impact of microplastics exceeding the mass of plankton in the ocean. We don't know how it will in the long term affect plankton-feeding species and their predators.

Scientists have recorded some species of zooplankton eating tiny plastic particles. Considering what important source of food plankton is for many other species, it is clear that plastic gets distributed across the marine ecosystem.

The truth is that we do not know yet the full scale of negative impacts plastic waste can have on marine and terrestrial environments because it hasn't been around long enough to allow us to assess possible scenarios of its influence on natural cycles.

However, one thing we know, is that by introducing a pollutant that may never break down in the environment can have implications that will far exceed any of our predictions.

#4 Plastic bags are harmful to wildlife and marine life

Have you ever seen endangered sea turtles hatch? They are tinier than a palm of your hand and appear so fragile when struggling across the beach to make it to the sea.

Even human footprints left in the sand represent mountain-like obstacles in their path and waves washing up on the beach are another challenge, as they thrust them back on the dry land to try once again before finally being picked up by a return current and start swimming for their life.

Since their birth, baby turtles have only one goal - to get to the sea and swim into deep waters where they will feed and if successful grow into adult turtles. On their long journey, they will encounter many difficulties and only a small portion of them will survive.

Sadly, one of their newly acquired enemies is created by us who should protect them instead. Plastic bags.

Plastic bags floating in the ocean resemble jellyfish, one of the main sources of food for some species of sea turtles, especially the critically-endangered Leatherback turtles.

According to a study carried out in 2013, up to 35 percent of turtle deaths were caused by plastic ingestion and the probability that sea turtles will consume even more plastic increases every year [9].

Sea turtles are not the only species suffering from plastic bag pollution of the environment.

Nearly 20 years ago, a dead pelican was found with its stomach filled with 17 plastic bags [10]. In 2008, a crocodile in Australia died because of 25 plastic bags filling its stomach [11]. A calf had to be put down because of indigestion caused by 8 plastic bags in its stomach. These examples could go on for a long time...

Plastic bags are often mistaken for food by animals, birds, and marine life. The consumed plastic congests the digestive tracts of these animals, and can lead to health issues such as infections, painful intestinal blockage, starvation or death by suffocation.

The most heartbreaking part of this is that the affected animals are not aware they eat something that will make them feel miserable and will slowly kill them.

Animals can also easily become entangled in this plastic waste. There were numerous cases of birds caught in plastic bags, unable to fly and feed, eventually strangling themselves to death.

Similar fate has met dolphins, seals, cats, dogs, deer and many other animals which got severely cut on their bodies due to plastic bag entanglement.

National Geographic made a video on how helpless it feels to be caught in a plastic bag. Have a look yourself to imagine the suffering of these animals.

Video credit: Youtube / National Geographic

A last example of a true horror caused by plastic has been discovered just recently. A 2018 study of coral reefs in the Asia-Pacific has confirmed that plastic waste deposited on coral reefs promotes outbreaks of diseases that gradually destroy whole reef colonies [12]. So, plastic waste only speeds up the destruction of these most biodiverse ecosystems on earth.

#5 Plastic bags are harmful to human health

Many of you may have heard it already. Tiny plastic particles have been found in human feces.

But is it really that surprising?

Microplastics were found in soft drinks like Coca Cola, in tap water, in seafood... It has contaminated our food chain, so it should not surprise us that it can be tracked in our body.
In fact, according to researchers, every second person on the planet could have some microplastic in the body [13].
The reason to worry is that scientists do not know how our metabolism and immunity will react to the increased concentration of plastic particles in our system. They suspect that it may add stress on the liver by introducing more pathogens into the body.

Additionally, plastics in our digestive tract may affect absorption of some important trace elements (like iron) which we need for maintaining proper health [13].

Plastic bags and plastic products overall contain substances that are harmful to our health. The most common are inorganic dyes that are added to change the color of plastic bags.

These dyes on their own can leach toxins, but they can also be contaminated with traces of heavy metals such as lead or cadmium, both of which affect kidney health and proper functioning of other organs.

Plastic fragments in the ocean such as those from plastic bags can absorb pollutants like PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls) and PAHs (Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) easily. These are known to be hormone-disrupting chemicals.

Another indirect danger of plastic bags has breeding ground in the pollution they create.

Plastic waste that clogs water drainage channels and river tributaries of many Asian cities increases exposure of residents to water-borne diseases, as it creates a toxic soup that remains stranded in one place for prolonged periods of time.

#6 Plastic bags are not easy to recycle

As plastic bags tend to get caught in recycling machinery, most recycling facilities do not have the capacity to recycle plastic bags and therefore do not accept them.

In fact, plastic bags are considered by many recycling facilities the number one contaminant and their removal from the recycling stream costs municipalities close to $1 million a year [18].

Since plastic bag recycling requires a specialized equipment that can break down the plastic and mold it into a new product, most municipalities do not have the budget to include their recycling in their waste management program. So, plastic bag recycling facilities are few and far between and transportation to one could be expensive.

As a result, the actual recycling rate for plastic bags globally is between 5 to 15 percent, while in the United States it makes only 1 percent a year [17].

An additional problem with plastic grocery bags recycling is their cleanliness. Ideally, to be suitable for recycling, bags need to be clean to be accepted, which is often a problem, considering that we use them to carry groceries and potentially leaky goods.

#7 Plastic bags are costly to pay for and to clean up after

If there is one piece of advice that everyone should remember, it would be that " nothing is for free" in this world.

While we may not pay for plastic bags directly when we go shopping, they are anything but "free."

On average, plastic bags cost retailers about 3-5 cents each. It may not seem like much, but when you imagine how many bags they have to provide throughout a year, you will quickly realize that plastic bags are costly. So, retailers incorporate this cost "hiddenly" into prices of other items sold at stores.

Additionally, someone has to pay the cost of dealing with plastic bags in the waste stream. This includes waste collection, regular cleanups to remove plastic bag litter along the roads or blown away from landfills and then even processing at landfill sites.

According to some estimates, the cost of plastic bag cleanup is about 17 cents per bag [14] and the cost is paid by us once again.

On average, taxpayers end up paying about $88 per year just on plastic bag waste [15].

So that "free" plastic bag isn't so free after all.

#8 Plastic bags have external costs

Beyond the costs associated with the production and purchasing of plastic bags by retailers, there are many external costs that are often not considered.

These costs include the true environmental costs of resource extraction and depletion, the loss of quality of life, economic loss from littering, and wildlife loss.

Unfortunately, such costs are typically not included in most economic analyses, as they are not easy to calculate because the equation would have to involve many indirect variables.

However, in 2014, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) supported the first project to calculate the "real" cost of plastic, including adverse environmental impacts of its production, use and disposal.

The resulting number is staggering. Plastic use costs approximately $75 billion a year [16].

#9 There are better alternatives available, and jobs to go with them!

The very best alternative is a reusable bag. Do you wonder why?

The explanation is quite simple. Reusable shopping bags are very durable and can be reused many times over the course of their useful life.

This means that you are not consuming more resources every time you need to carry your groceries home. Instead, you are actually reusing a product, and that means that you are utilizing earth's resources smartly, while at the same time reducing waste.

For example, a reusable jute bag should last at least 4 years, during which it can prevent the use of 600 single-use plastic bags.

Once a person gets into the habit of bringing reusable bags when shopping, it is not much of an inconvenience at all. After all, ask your grandparents, they will remember that during their time people were used to go shopping with their own bags or baskets.

The manufacturing of reusable bags or compostable alternatives to plastic bags offers a new opportunity to create sustainable products and provide jobs that go with them.

The trend has already started. There are some great initiatives that strive to provide jobs for women in rural communities with limited possibilities of securing monthly income.

#10 Other governments are banning plastic bags, so yours should too... or at least make people pay for them

To date, around 60 countries and municipalities around the world have instituted plastic bag bans, and additional seven countries are planning to enforce the law in the closest future.

Some countries have decided to do so after directly experiencing negative impacts of plastic bags, other countries have implemented the ban to reach their sustainability goals.

Let's see some examples:

The first country to ban single-use plastic bags was Bangladesh in 2002 when plastic bag litter clogged drainage channels and contributed to destructive floods.

Other country that has decided to enforce the country-wide plastic bag ban after suffering of negative consequences was Mauritania. The country instituted the ban in 2013 to minimize livestock deaths. Prior the ban, 70 percent of livestock losses were attributed to plastic bag ingestion [20].

In the United States, California has banned single-use plastic bags in 2016, but the city of San Francisco has locally issued this ban already in 2012 and consumers pay a little fee for other alternatives like compostable bags or recycled paper bags.

Another example of a locally issued ban is Seattle where not only single-use plastic bags have been banned but also single-use compostable and biodegradable bags. This measure should encourage people to switch to reusable alternatives.

For those governments that are opposed to full bans on plastic bags, another option is to institute a plastic bag tax, where consumers or retailers would pay a small fee for each plastic bag.

This strategy has been adopted by some countries and municipalities so far and has proven to greatly reduce plastic bag usage by consumers.

For example, in Botswana, the consumption of plastic bags dropped by 50 percent after the introduction of the tax in 2007. In Ireland, where this fee was instituted in 2002, plastic bag usage decreased by about 90 percent. This means that the average consumption of plastic bags per person dropped from 328 bags per year to just 21 [20].

While these countries and municipalities have been making strides in their part of reducing circulation of plastic bags, in total there are 195 countries in the world [19] and the issue of plastic pollution is still getting out of our hands. That is why the United Nations Environmental Programme Secretariat has recommended a ban on all plastic bags globally.

Steps towards a plastic bag free future: How to help ban plastic bags in your community?

Plastic bags have become such a nuisance because we as consumers use them excessively even when not needed and authorities haven't figured out effective ways of dealing with them as waste.
Until recently, the impact of plastic bags has been largely underestimated and overlooked.
Logically, the key to starting a change in your community is education.

This means that you need to first educate yourself about the problem. You need to know what effects plastic bags have on the environment and health. What is the root of the problem (consumers or municipal waste management)?

But you should also consider the other perspective - what effect single-use bags have had on the local economy and product affordability. You should examine what alternatives are available and whether local retailers, who often operate with a limited monthly budget, have the ability to make the switch.

By being aware about these issues, you will be ready to present some strong arguments why plastic bags should be banned in your area and answer questions of people who will become your ally if you will persuade them about your good intentions. Which brings us to the second part...

Second step is educating others.

Help raise awareness of fellow consumers - that means everyone when you think about it (unless they don't shop...ever).

Communities with good awareness about negative impacts of plastic bags have been more successful at enforcing the ban [20]. This is because the customers voluntarily reduce their consumption of plastic bags, which in turn provides enough time for retailers to find suitable alternatives and switch to them.

Once the wheel starts spinning, it leads to even more positive changes. The decrease in demand for plastic bags forces manufacturers to reduce their production and consider expanding in a supply of alternative products.

Additionally, awareness raising campaigns create a social pressure that should inspire local government and institutions to help in making changes at a bigger scale, like a regional ban or levy.

You as an individual have the power to make a gradual change in your community. Start from yourself and slowly expand to your family and friends. Individual actions can lead to collective actions.

How to stop using plastic bags?

The first answer to this question that comes to everyone's mind is to stop using plastic bags, right? Simply, refuse them when offered and bring your own reusable bag when shopping.

These steps are pretty straight forward and depend on your own initiative.

However, we are all too familiar with situations when a cashier automatically puts your items in a plastic bag before you can oppose it.

In many instances, it may seem too awkward for you to refuse the bag, so you accept it this one time, but you should know that it is fine to say no politely even at this stage if you don't want that bag. The cashier usually understands, only had to do what instructed and what most customers expect (unfortunately) from him or her. We all are just trying to do our job well.

In countries with a lack of awareness about negative impacts of plastic bags, a polite refusal might not be met with much understanding. Then, you should try to explain your reasons for not wanting your products packed in plastic bags.

Most retailers will get your point, but it can also happen that they will not be willing to sell you some products without placing it in their plastic bags because of having to oblige with some hygiene and sanitary standards (for example when selling meat products).

If this happens, there are a few scenarios you can follow:

You could either discuss with a store manager a possibility of bringing your own containers for these products.

Look for another place that does accept or use alternative packaging, such as small local stores that use paper wraps or compostable bags.

Or you may need to accept that plastic bag this time and then start campaigning for a plastic bag ban in your area 😊.

What to do with plastic bags you already have at home?

The best thing you can do with those old plastic bags that have been stashed in that overflowing drawer in your kitchen is to recycle them.

You cannot recycle them in the regular curbside collection of plastic, but you should be able to find many larger food stores and retailers (for example: Target, Walmart, Tesco, Morrisons, etc.) that do collect plastic bags and other plastic films and send them for proper recycling.

You can use some easy online locators to see the closest plastic bag drop-off. All you need to do is paste your ZIP code and then see the list of stores with bag drop-off in your nearest location.

Most drop-off collection points accept plastic bags made from high-density polyethylene (plastic number 2) and low-density polyethylene (plastic number 4). It means that most bags can be recycled.

This includes grocery plastic bags, Ziplock-type bags, dry cleaning bags and bread bags.

There is only one requirement - these plastic bags need to be dry and clean, otherwise they contaminate the entire batch and your effort will do more harm than good.

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10 Reasons Why Plastic Bags Should Be Banned | Greentumble

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Plastic bags are a convenient way to carry our purchased goods when we go shopping. They are a part of our modern lives, and we don't tend to think much about them. In fact, it is estimated that up to 10 million plastic bags are used every minute around the world [1].

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See How It Feels to Be an Ocean Animal Stuck in a Plastic Bag | National Geographic

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Recycling should be mandatory. Do you agree?

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Recycling should be mandatory. Do you agree?

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Everyone should travel by public transport in order to minimise air pollution. Do you agree?

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Plastic bag should be banned? What are your views?

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Plastic bag should be banned? What are your views?

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Everyone should travel by public transport

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Everyone should travel by public transport

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We have chosen this topic. Some of the advantages of public transport is that it is convenient and helps to remove our carbon footprint, while some disadvantages are the waiting times, frequent breakdowns and inconvenience for some people like the disabled. So as a group, we don’t think that everyone has to travel by public transport

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Disadvantage of putting stuff in the wrong bin

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Disadvantage of putting stuff in the wrong bin

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You might think you’re helping the environment when you start tossing everything into your recycling bin, but you might be causing more harm than good. For instance, an unwashed pasta sauce jar. It can contaminate sought-after items, like paper and cardboard. Plastic shopping bags pose the biggest problem for recycling facilities, as the bags can wrap around machinery and could cost over $10,000 to replace, Walters said. And that Starbucks cup we mentioned earlier? While technically it can be recycled, it’s usually not due to the fact that the paper cups are lined with—you guessed it—plastic, and recycling facilities would have to separate the plastic liner from the paper cup, a costly process. Like plastic bags that damage machinery, trying to recycle these cups without separating the plastic from the paper can also do harm to a recycling center’s machines.

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Cleaner air to breathe, and better health

- The excessive number of cars coming into a city does have harmful effects on nature and human health.
- Exhaust gases are damaging air quality and emitting harmful particles, which increase the risk of respiratory diseases and can also negatively affect people’s mental health.
- Air pollution is particularly dangerous for children, as the developing brain is extremely sensitive and vulnerable to environment’s negative effects.

Cityscape and other commuters

- In addition to congestion and the increasing lack of space in cities, cars also ruin the cityscape.
- As more cars flow into city centres, the less room there is for cyclists and pedestrians, and with cars parked in areas, which are linked to sidewalks, the road space, which is meant for cyclists, becomes too narrow and dangerous to ride safely.
- On the other hand, greater adoption of public transport would help to free up space in the urban areas, making city traffic significantly more pleasant for cyclists and pedestrians, in addition to making cityscapes across the world more beautiful and peaceful.

Save time and money, reduce stress

- Due to vehicle congestion many cities have dedicated bus lanes, so using public transport within the city can be not only cheaper, but also faster.
- Especially when you don’t need worry about finding a parking space, or how much will it cost, when traveling on public transport.
- If public transport can meet the commuter’s needs, it will undoubtedly, over time, attract even more private vehicle owners to use public transport. Thankfully, the use of public transport is becoming increasingly popular . You can sit, relax, read a book or even get some work done on the bus or train, which is a much more practical way spending your time while commuting.

People may not want to use public transport

- Some people are quite used to their cars and simply do not want to switch to public transport at all.

- Those groups of people may be quite hard to convince about the benefits of public transport since they used their car all their lives and do not want to make changes.

- Thus, for those people, public transport may not be the way to go and there will always be a certain amount of people who simply do not want to refrain from using their cars.

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Plastic bags should be banned as they are non-biodegradable. Research has shown it takes an estimate of a 1000 years to decompose the plastic bags with every year, about 8 million tons of plastic waste escapes into the oceans from coastal Furthermore, even though the plastic bags decompose, there are still micro plastics that absorb toxins and pollute the environment around it, causing animals such as fish and turtles to consume this harmful material and with the amount of plastic bags piling up in the ocean, it is sure that animals are going to be eradicated.

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Plastic bags should be banned. What are your views? 

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Plastic bags should be banned. What are your views? 

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1. Everyone should travel by public transport in order to minimise air pollution

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1. Everyone should travel by public transport in order to minimise air pollution

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Recycle should become mandatory. Do you agree?

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Plastic bags are a convenient way to carry our purchased goods when we go shopping.Plastic bags are more durable than paper bags. They are less prone to tearing, easier to carry, and are far more useful in bad weather. Plastic bags are reusable, as trashcan liners, as storage bags, or for picking up after the dog. Plastic bags last longer than plastic bags and can be repurposed, unlike paper bags.

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Recycling should be mandatory. Do you agree

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Reduces pollution
Convenient
Saves money
Frequently as the buses comes almost every 10-15 min
Not needing to drive so less stressful
Can provide cover from the rain

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Plastic bags are everywhere. Look around and you will notice that plastic bags are the most common litter. Tangled in trees and fences along roads, floating in water, lying on the ground in parks and forests, surrounding garbage bins, washed off on beaches because they are so lightweight, plastic bags get easily picked up by wind and travel long distances by wind and water to pollute the nature. It’s also bad because plastic bag litter has even caused great problems in some areas. For example, millions of discarded plastic bags clog water drainage channels and sewers in urban areas of Bangladesh. When the monsoon rains start, streets get waterlogged just after the first few minutes because the water cannot pass through clogged sewerage pipes.

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Disadvantages of plastic bags being banned 

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Disadvantages of plastic bags being banned 

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1) Plastic bags are hard to recycle, as it gets stuck in conveyor belts, jam equipment and delay the entire sorting system, making it impractical or plastic bags to be collected with curb side recycling. As a result, some grocery stores provide collection bins to properly recycle plastic bags, but it’s easy for shoppers to forget to bring them back.

2) Plastic bags contaminate food sources. Once in the ocean, those fragments break down into smaller, nearly microscopic pieces that are consumed by sea life — an estimated 12,000-24,000 tons per year — contaminating the food chain from the bottom up.

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1.  Banning plastic bags would greatly help the environment as a plastic bag takes nearly 500 years to fully decompose while polluting the environment around it so a ban would greatly help the environment
2.  it will help decrease the population of mosquitos as discarded plastic bags are breeding grounds for mosquitos so banning plastic bags could decrease the number of mosquito related diseases such as dengue.

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1. It requires you to stand very close to people at times, this 2. may lead to virus spreading.
2. It may be inconsistent
3. It may have long waiting times.
4. It may stink
5. It may be very hot inside

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The disadvantages of banning plastic bags include the convenience and the price of the bag. As usually plastic bags are cheap and easy to use hence this might have a huge impact on people as they would have to find other alternatives to solve this issue.

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https://www.factorydirectpromos.com/blog/pros-and-cons-of-a-plastic-bag-ban/

https://phys.org/news/2020-11-qa-sustainability-benefits-plastic-bag.html

https://www.dumpsters.com/blog/plastic-bag-bans

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The Two Sides to the Plastic Bag Ban Debate

There are two sides to every argument right? Yet when you stack the advantages of implementing a plastic bag ban against the disadvantages, one thing becomes clear - there really isn't a good reason to oppose a ban on disposable plastic bags. The reality of plastic bags is that while they are in fact recyclable, only a small percentage find their way into a recycling bin. Whereas using reusable bags made from polypropylene () utilize post-industrial/pre-consumer recycled materials that get repeated use. But more on this later in our blog.

Most plastic bags end up in landfills or as litter and no matter how you tabulate the numbers, plastic bags do not safely break down and it costs money to pick up litter. People and groups against banning plastic bags attempt to diminish the harmful and damaging realities of these facts. Most of the reasons bandied about by those who contest plastic bag bans are not so many reasons, as they are counterarguments against valid realities to implementing a ban.

Pros of Plastic Bag Bans

Plastic bag bans enhance the economy: Bans on plastic bags cause an uptick in business for reusable bag manufacturers and lead to increased employment opportunities.

Eliminating plastic bags reduces the cost of goods: Stores have to factor the cost of disposable bags into their prices. By eliminating plastic bags, stores can lower prices, helping shoppers save $18 to $30 annually.

Plastic bags are not biodegradable: When plastic bags become litter, they pollute oceans, rivers, farmlands, cities, and neighborhoods. Bans eliminate bags, which equals less litter and less pollution.

Picking up litter costs tax money: Banning plastic bags will reduce litter and allow for tax money to be redirected to more important areas.

Marine life will improve: Marine animals often mistake plastic bags for jellyfish or plankton, leading them to consume the litter and become ill or die.

Drainage infrastructures run more efficiently: Plastic litter often clogs drainage systems, causing unnecessary flooding.

Plastic bag bans reduce the need for petroleum: Banning plastic bags will minimize the dependency on the limited non-renewable resource.

Decrease the mosquito population: Discarded plastic bags collect rainwater and create a breeding ground for mosquitos, some of which could carry the West Nile Virus or Triple E Virus.

Cons of Plastic Bag Bans

Plastic bans manufacturers scale back: Bans often lead plastic bag manufacturers to scale back business and may lead to layoffs.

The upfront cost to shoppers: Plastic bag bans will require shoppers to purchase reusable bags, which can range from $1 and up.

Find an embeddable Pro and Cons image below.

Let's Get The Facts Straight!

Groups opposed to bag bans have argued that while litter does contribute to the death of thousands of marine animals each year, it is not fair to single out plastic bags as the cause. The "plastic bags aren't only to blame" argument goes on to explain that lost or abandoned fishing gear is also responsible for the wrongful death of marine animals and a plastic bag ban does not address the entire problem. This "all or nothing" rationale is not only weak, but it is also short-sighted.

Just because there is a wide variety of litter in our oceans does not mean we should sit by and not attempt to begin to fix the plastic problem. Solving parts of a problem-with products like eco-friendly reusable bags -ultimately serves to contribute to a greater solution.

Opposing groups have also claimed that cleaning up plastic bag litter is not that expensive and municipalities that claim financial savings as a result of implementing a ban are not portraying the numbers accurately. To that, we say that no matter how much money is spent cleaning up litter, it is too much. When money is directed to cleaning up litter, that means there is less money to fix infrastructure and build communities.

Who Is Behind the Opposition to Plastic Bag Bans?

It is also worth noting that those who oppose plastic bag bans are more often than, not employed by plastic bag manufacturers or lobbyists for the industry. Clearly, plastic bag manufacturers want to stay in business and thwart efforts that would force them to change their business model to one that fits with a more sustainable ideology or go out of business.

Want More of Both Sides Before You Get on Board to Ban the Bag?

If you are still undecided as to whether or not bag bans are a good choice for communities, our country, and our world, read the article Should Cities Ban Plastic Bags which our CEO found intriguing and informative and wanted to share with our FDP community. The article outlines an argument for banning plastic bags by Daniella Dimitrova Russo, co-founder and executive director of the Plastic Pollution Coalition, and is immediately followed by an argument against banning disposable plastic bags by Todd Myers, environmental director at the Washington Policy Center.

We Want to Know What YOU Think!

We want to know which side of the plastic bag ban debate you fall on and why. Please let us know in the comments below or via social media!

[Click on the image for embed code]

Photo Sources: Key Frame Studios, Factory Direct Promos

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Pros & Cons of a Plastic Bag Ban | Factory Direct Promos

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Reduces the amount of waste sent to landfills and incinerators

Conserves natural resources such as timber, water and minerals

Increases economic security by tapping a domestic source of materials

Prevents pollution by reducing the need to collect new raw materials

Saves energy

Supports  manufacturing and conserves valuable resources

Helps create jobs in the recycling and manufacturing industries

Protect the environment and animal habitats

Slows down Global warming and pollution

Educates People About the Importance of Protecting the Environment

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They should ban plastic bags as it harms true environment very badly. Plastic bags are also not recyclable and it is hard to get rid of them as they integrate very slowly .When it is inter grating, it needs to be discarded somewhere, since there is countless amount of plastic bags , a lot of land is needed to discard the them. People also irresponsible and litter the plastics everywhere . Some plastics end up in oceans where they will be eaten by sea creatures as they think it is food. These plastic bags will enter the stomach of the sea creatures and poison them.

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Reduces the amount of waste sent to landfills and incinerators.

Conserves natural resources such as timber, water and minerals.

Increases economic security by tapping a domestic source of materials.

Prevents pollution by reducing the need to collect new raw materials.

Saves energy.

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Plastic bags are light and cheap. This would encourage more people to use plastic bags instead of their own reusable bag. The plastic bags are also free while the reusable bag would need to be paired first then can have the reusable bag. People who rather save money than saving earth would take plastic bags as they are free. Plastic bags also has other advantages like the plastic bags can be used for trash bags while the reusable bags can’t as they are costly .

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Recycling is a great way to protect the environment. Did you know that:

Recycling 1,000kg of paper saves 17 trees.

Recycling an aluminium can saves 95% of the energy used to make a new one.

Recycling a glass bottle saves 30% of the energy used to make a new one.

Our 2030 Recycling Targets

Of the waste generated in 2018, more than half - almost 4.63 million tonnes - was recycled.

Singapore has set a national recycling rate target of 70% in 2030, with

an increase in domestic recycling rate from 22% in 2018 to 30% in 2030, and

an increase for non-domestic recycling rate from 74% in 2018 to 81% in 2030.

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Plastic bags are created from using fossil fuels which when burnt it will contribute to global warming and leave behind a great amount of carbon footprint. With the ever increasing of plastic bags production, the earth will be in a detrimental state. By banning it, it would significantly help the earth.

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more durable than paper bags
Light weight and waterproof so when it gets wet it does not tear
It is also very cheap

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High upfront capital costs

Recycling sites are always unhygienic, unsafe and unsightly

Products from recycled waste may not be durable

Recycling might not be inexpensive

Recycling is not widespread on large scale

More energy consumption and pollution

Increased processing cost and low-quality jobs

Stricter and more stringent implementation required

Methane is a GHG ( methane is a greenhouse gas, this produced during recycling, if allowed to seep out, can lead to global warming and ozone depletion)

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Disadvantages of making recycling mandatory 

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Disadvantages of making recycling mandatory 

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1. High upfront capital costs for building the recycling unit
2. Products from recycled waste may not be durable as some products may be overly used
3. Recycling is not widespread on large scale since it is not widely embraced and developed
4. More energy consumption and pollution when going through the recycling process
5. Increased processing cost with low-quality jobs for labour intensive work

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The non-biodegradable
synthetic product is called
plastic.
• Around one trillion plastic
bags are consumed by the
people of the world.
• Plastic bags have become an
integral part of our life
because almost every local
store owner provides the
products in it for carrying.
• Seas and oceans have
become dangerously polluted
with plastic bags.

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Less fuel burned means better air quality for cities that integrate public transit. Approximately 85% of the greenhouse gas emissions that come from transportation are due to day-to-day commutes. By leaving the car at home, a person can save up to 20 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions every day

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Recycling should be mandatory. Do you agree?

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https://www.epa.gov/recycle/recycling-basics

https://www.businesswaste.co.uk/advantages-recycling/

https://northhillbottledepot.ca/why-is-recycling-important-10-benefits-of-recycling/

https://www.conserve-energy-future.com/advantages-and-disadvantages-of-recycling.php

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Recycling is the process of collecting and processing materials that would otherwise be thrown away as trash and turning them into new products. Recycling can benefit your community, the economy, and the environment. Products should only be recycled if they cannot be reduced or reused. EPA promotes the waste management hierarchy, which ranks various waste management strategies from most to least environmentally preferred. The hierarchy prioritizes source reduction and the reuse of waste materials over recycling.
On this page:
Benefits of Recycling

Environment

Recycling provides many benefits to our environment. By recycling our materials, we create a healthier planet for ourselves and future generations.

Conserve natural resources: Recycling reduces the need to extract resources such as timber, water, and minerals for new products.

Climate change: According to the most recent EPA data, the recycling and composting of municipal solid waste (MSW or trash) saved over 193 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent in 2018.

Energy savings: Recycling conserves energy. For example, recycling just 10 plastic bottles saves enough energy to power a laptop for more than 25 hours. To estimate how much energy you can save by recycling certain products, EPA developed the individual Waste Reduction Model (iWARM).

Waste and pollution reduction: Recycling diverts waste away from landfills and incinerators, which reduces the harmful effects of pollution and emissions.

Economy

EPA released significant findings on the economic benefits of the recycling industry with an update to the national Recycling Economic Information (REI) Study in 2020. This study analyzes the numbers of jobs, wages and tax revenues attributed to recycling. The study found that in a single year, recycling and reuse activities in the United States accounted for:

681,000 jobs,

$37.8 billion in wages, and

$5.5 billion in tax revenues.

This equates to 1.17 jobs per 1,000 tons of materials recycled and $65.23 in wages and $9.42 in tax revenue for every ton of materials recycled. For more information, check out the full report.

Community

Environmental Justice: Across the country, waste management facilities are concentrated in underserved communities, and they can have negative impacts on human health, property values, aesthetic and recreation values, and land productivity. Recycling provides these areas with a healthier and more sustainable alternative.

International: Waste generated in the United States also affects communities in other countries. Recycled materials are exported to some countries that are not able to manage those materials in an environmentally sound manner.

U.S. Recycling System Overview

The recycling process is made up of three steps that are repeated over and over again. This creates a continuous loop which is represented by the familiar chasing arrows recycling symbol. The three steps of the recycling process are described below.

Step 1: Collection and Processing

Businesses and consumers generate recyclables that are then collected by either a private hauler or government entity. There are several methods for collecting recyclables, including curbside collection, drop-off centers, and deposit or refund programs. Visit How do I recycle... Common Recyclables for information on specific materials.

After collection, recyclables are sent to a recovery facility to be sorted, cleaned, and processed into materials that can be used in manufacturing. Recyclables are bought and sold just like raw materials would be, and prices go up and down depending on supply and demand in the United States and around the world.

Step 2: Manufacturing

After processing, recyclables are made into new products at a recycling plant or similar facility. More and more of today's products are being manufactured with recycled content.

Recycled materials are also used in new ways such as recovered glass in asphalt to pave roads or recovered plastic in carpeting and park benches.

Step 3: Purchasing New Products Made from Recycled Materials

You help close the recycling loop by buying new products made from recycled materials. There are thousands of products that contain recycled content. When you go shopping, look for the following:

Products that can be easily recycled

Products that contain recycled content

Below are some of the terms used:

Recycled-content product - The product was manufactured with recycled materials either collected from a recycling program or from waste recovered during the normal manufacturing process. The label will sometimes include how much of the content came from recycled materials.

Post-consumer content - Very similar to recycled content, but the material comes only from recyclables collected from consumers or businesses through a recycling program.

Recyclable product - Products that can be collected, processed, and manufactured into new products after they have been used. These products do not necessarily contain recycled materials. Remember not all kinds of recyclables may be collected in your community, so be sure to check with your local recycling program before you buy.

Some common products you can find that are made with recycled content include the following:

Aluminum cans

Car bumpers

Carpeting

Cereal boxes

Comic books

Egg cartons

Glass containers

Laundry detergent bottles

Motor oil

Nails

Newspapers

Paper towels

Steel products

Trash bags

Challenges to Recycling System

While the benefits of recycling are clear, the current system still faces many challenges.

Many people are confused about what items can be recycled, where they can be recycled and how. This often leads to recyclables going in the trash or trash going in the recycling bin.

America's recycling infrastructure has not kept pace with today's waste stream. Communication between the manufacturers of new materials and products and the recycling industry needs to be improved to prepare for and optimally manage the recycling of new materials.

Domestic markets for recycled materials need to be strengthened in the United States. Historically, some of the recycled materials generated in the U.S. have been exported internationally. However, changing international policies have limited the export of materials. Improving communication among the different sectors of the recycling system is needed to strengthen the development of existing materials markets and to develop new innovative markets.

We need to better integrate recycled materials and end-of-life management into product and packaging designs.

More consistent measurement methodologies are necessary to improve recycling system performance. These more standardized metrics can then be used to create effective goals and track progress.

What is Being Done?

The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law: Transforming U.S. Recycling and Waste Management: The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is a historic investment in the health, equity, and resilience of American communities. With unprecedented funding to support state and local waste management infrastructure and recycling programs, EPA will improve health and safety and help establish and increase recycling programs nationwide.

National Recycling Strategy: EPA developed the National Recycling Strategy with a focus on advancing the national municipal solid waste recycling system. It identifies strategic objectives and actions to create a stronger, more resilient, and cost-effective recycling system.

Draft Strategy to Prevent Plastics Pollution: This strategy builds upon EPA's National Recycling Strategy and focuses on actions to reduce, reuse, collect, and capture plastic waste.

America Recycles Day: Every year on November 15, EPA reminds everyone of the importance and impact of recycling through education and outreach.

Basel Convention: The United States is a signatory to the Basel Convention, but has not yet become a Party to the Convention. The Basel Convention establishes standards for the transboundary movement of various types of waste.

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Provides the the basics steps involved for recycling

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Should plastics be banned?

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I think plastic bags should be banned as they have many disadvantages and can be replaced with many other materials which aren’t as harmful to the environment

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-Plastics are useful.
-But non biodegradable
-Plastics are harmful to our environment

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I think that public transports’ advantages out weigh its disadvantages

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-it takes 400 to 1,000 years to decompose.What does occur in most instances is that when out in the environment, the plastic breaks up into tiny microscopic pieces that get deposited in soils (where we grow food) or contaminate waterways. These pieces can be so small that they are invisible to our eye.

-Plastic bag litter has even caused great problems in some areas. For example, millions of discarded plastic bags clog water drainage channels and sewers in urban areas of Bangladesh. When the monsoon rains start, streets get waterlogged just after the first few minutes because the water cannot pass through clogged sewerage pipes.

-plastic bags are made from non renewable materials and contribute to climate change.
Oil and natural gas are non-renewable fossil fuel-based resources and through their extraction and production, they emit greenhouse gases, which contribute to global climate change. The production of these bags is very energy intensive. Globally, 8 to 10 percent of our current oil supply goes to a plastic bag manufacture

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Unlike reusable fabric bags, plastic bags can take lifetimes to biodegrade. Over that time, their light weight allows them to be carried long distances, causing environmental havoc along the way.

Plastic bags can’t be sorted from other materials by the machinery at recycling facilities. They often get stuck in conveyor belts, jam equipment and delay the entire sorting system, making it impractical for plastic bags to be collected with curbside recycling.