The problem with plastic bags Retailers switched to plastic bags because they were cheaper. Americans use approximately 100 billion plastic bags each year. However, single-use bags and other plastics pose a variety of environmental hazards. While some people found it difficult to switch from paper to plastic bags, the latter had benefits that paper bags didn't, such as being stronger and completely waterproof.
For large companies and businesses, plastic bags were attractive because of their low price. Plastic bags are known for their durability. They are less vulnerable to tearing and are resistant to many chemicals. Plastic bags outperform paper or cloth bags when it comes to protecting the contents from rain or the water.
However, the production and distribution of paper bags still has environmental consequences. While Proposition 67 banned single-use plastic bags, the ban on bags has also led to a drastic decline in the use of paper bags across the state. Because shoppers carry reusable bags to the supermarket, the use of paper bags in Los Angeles has fallen by approximately 40% since the bag ban took effect. Since then, voters across the state approved Proposition 67 and California became the first state in the country to ban single-use plastic bags.
Prolific plastic bags were now one of the most obvious wastes on streets and beaches, as they endangered marine life when ingested by animals and ruined habitats. Therefore, the benefits of plastic bags cannot be overlooked just because they pose a potential threat to the environment. In short, it was a lie spread by plastic bag manufacturers to scare people into voting against the proposal. The new law prohibits grocery stores from providing single-use plastic bags to customers, even if they sell them for a fee.
Plastic bags thrown in the garbage look a lot like jellyfish in water, so animals mistake them for food and eat them, harm or kill them. Some suburbs, such as Sydney's Oyster Bay and Huskisson, on the south coast of New South Wales, have also voluntarily banned bags to help reduce plastic waste. Nearly 500 billion plastic bags are used every year, and most of them are used for shopping. Despite being an affordable and durable packaging solution, plastic bags would end up in landfills and oceans and pollute the planet.
The first local ban on plastic bags in Australia occurred in Tasmania in 2003, with the idea of helping to protect whales that migrate off the coast of the island state. In Queensland, other petitions have been filed (here and here) to ban plastic bags in that state. The manufacturing process of plastic bags is energy efficient, while the percentage of solid waste is lower. Most plastic bags are biodegradable, meaning they can break down in a reasonable amount of time when they are thrown away. This means that buying plastic bags in bulk will be beneficial to your small business and your profit margins.
Most of the plastic produced ends up in landfills, but 8 million metric tons of plastics thrown in the trash continue to end up in the ocean every year.
