Plastic bags can be reused multiple times, while paper bags cannot be reused. While paper bags wouldn't survive rain, plastic bags would. The disadvantages of plastic bags are that they can contaminate water with their toxic chemicals. Marine animals would be seriously injured or killed by plastic. According to EcoWatch, 10 metric tons of plastic fragments, including grocery bags, make it to the sea in the Los Angeles area every day.
Once in the ocean, these fragments break down into smaller, almost microscopic pieces that marine life consumes between 12,000 and 24,000 tons a year, contaminating the food chain from the bottom up. Nearly 31,000 Americans work in the manufacture of plastic bags. While cloth bags are great for carrying dry food, they can quickly absorb dirt, leading to undesirable odors and the possibility of bacteria growing. In fact, a joint study by the University of Arizona and Loma Linda University in California discovered the presence of coliform bacteria in 51% of the 84 reusable grocery bags tested, with E.
Paper bags are environmentally friendly because they are 100% biodegradable, reusable and recyclable. Paper bags naturally break down during the recycling process, unlike plastics, which emit dangerous toxins and gases when recycled. A colorful paper bag can also be recycled and reused as shopping bags or organizers. Plastics can hold liquids and are useful even in bad weather, while paper bags deform when exposed to solutions.
They often get stuck on conveyor belts, jam equipment and delay the entire sorting system, making it impractical to collect plastic bags by recycling them on the sidewalk. Plastic bags have the fundamental property that, although they are very thin, the original plants of the crops do not pierce them to transport the earth in search of totally natural nutrients. In this current climate of rising gasoline costs and growing renewable energy problems, manufacturing plastic bags is a waste of valuable crude oils. Now that you know the benefits and repercussions of using paper bags and plastic bags, you can make an informed decision about your packaging materials.
However, with every approved ban comes opposition, as other states have taken steps to keep plastic bags in stores. For this reason, a ban could be contradictory and end up further exacerbating plastic pollution simply by reducing the amount of plastic in one category and increasing it in another. That said, if you sell items to children and animals, using paper bags as packaging is safer than using plastic. With Hawaii, which has a de facto ban because all counties in the state impose additional restrictions, that brings the total number of states with laws banning plastic bags to eight.
To avoid these inconveniences and reduce the risk of contamination, many buyers request separate plastic bags for certain items in the box. The production of paper bags pollutes the air and emits 70% more air pollutants and 50% more water pollutants than the production of plastic. In India alone, twelve million batches of oil are needed to make plastic bags for the country every year. Plastic bags are made of petroleum, an incalculable natural resource that cannot be replaced once reduced.
Fifteen states of Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas and Wisconsin have laws that prohibit cities and counties from enacting their own bans on plastic bags, laws that are being enforced with varying degrees of success.
