tag:theconversation.com,2011:/fr/topics/plastic-bag-ban-40029/articlesPlastic bag ban – The Conversation2023-03-06T13:36:07Ztag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1973782023-03-06T13:36:07Z2023-03-06T13:36:07ZWill we eventually have to send our trash into space if we run out of room on Earth?<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/510206/original/file-20230214-18-pi7ci8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=23%2C0%2C5266%2C3521&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">A trash compactor rolls over an active dump site at Pioneer Crossing Landfill in Birdsboro, Pa.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/trash-compactor-rolls-over-an-active-dump-site-at-pioneer-news-photo/1315782016">Natalie Kolb/MediaNews Group/Reading Eagle via Getty Images</a></span></figcaption></figure><figure class="align-left ">
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<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/us/topics/curious-kids-us-74795">Curious Kids</a> is a series for children of all ages. If you have a question you’d like an expert to answer, send it to <a href="mailto:curiouskidsus@theconversation.com">curiouskidsus@theconversation.com</a>.</em></p>
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<p>Will we eventually have to send our trash into space if we run out of room on Earth? Aiden, age 13, Maryland Heights, Mo.</p>
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<p>Our planet holds a lot of trash. Since the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/event/Industrial-Revolution">Industrial Revolution</a>, we humans have produced <a href="https://phys.org/news/2016-11-earth-technosphere-trillion-tons.html">30 trillion tons of stuff</a> – from skyscrapers and bridges to clothes and plastic bags. Much of it is still with us in the form of waste. </p>
<p>Globally, people add <a href="https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/zero-waste-families-plastic-culture">350 million tons</a> to this total every day. What’s worse, much of the world’s garbage is <a href="https://www.wastedive.com/news/world-bank-global-waste-generation-2050/533031/">mismanaged</a> – dumped on land, in waterways and in open dumps in cities and towns. This exposes people to <a href="https://www.who.int/tools/compendium-on-health-and-environment/solid-waste">serious health risks</a>. It <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jksus.2013.08.003">harms plants and soil</a>, and a lot of waste finds its way <a href="https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/article/plastic-pollution">into the oceans</a>. Thinking about what a mess we’re making can be pretty overwhelming. </p>
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<figcaption><span class="caption">Managing trash in the U.S. is big business.</span></figcaption>
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<h2>Waste in space?</h2>
<p>Sending trash into space isn’t as off the wall as it might sound. After all, there’s a lot of room out there, with no one – as far as we know today – to claim it. </p>
<p>Some researchers have suggested <a href="https://space.nss.org/wp-content/uploads/Space-Manufacturing-conference-12-111-Disposal-Of-High-Level-Nuclear-Waste-In-Space.pdf">sending waste into space</a>. They’re mainly thinking about <a href="https://www.npr.org/2011/03/15/134569191/spent-fuel-rods-now-a-concern-at-nuclear-plant">used radioactive fuel rods</a> from nuclear power plants. It’s true that nuclear waste will remain extremely hazardous for tens of thousands of years, and humans have done a <a href="https://worldnuclearwastereport.org">lousy job so far</a> of disposing of it safely on Earth. </p>
<p>These proposals, though, have <a href="https://opinion.sites.northeastern.edu/2020/12/29/why-dont-we-send-nuclear-waste-into-space/">never moved forward</a>, for many reasons. One is the risk: What if a rocket carrying tons of highly radioactive waste exploded on takeoff? Another is the cost, which would be <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/startswithabang/2019/09/20/this-is-why-we-dont-shoot-earths-garbage-into-the-sun/">vastly higher</a> than the already high price of storing it safely on Earth. </p>
<p>There is also a lot of “<a href="https://www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/what-is-space-junk-and-why-is-it-a-problem.html">space junk</a>” already orbiting the planet, including broken satellites and meteor debris. NASA estimates there are <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/news/orbital_debris.html">over half a million pieces</a> the size of a marble or larger in Earth’s orbit. They travel at high speeds, so they can really damage spacecraft in a collision. It wouldn’t be smart to add to this problem. </p>
<p>Here’s a much better strategy: Reduce the amount of waste that goes into landfills, incinerators, open dumps on land and the oceans. Part of that job is up to governments, which set rules on issues like <a href="https://www.ncsl.org/environment-and-natural-resources/state-plastic-bag-legislation">whether to allow single-use plastic bags</a>. But there are many things people can do to reduce waste in their daily lives. </p>
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<figcaption><span class="caption">Many U.S. communities are starting to compost organic wastes, like food scraps and yard trimmings. This reduces the volume of waste going into landfills and produces a valuable fertilizer.</span></figcaption>
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<h2>Many Rs</h2>
<p>You might be familiar with the “<a href="https://www.epa.gov/recycle">3 Rs of trash</a>”: reduce, reuse, recycle. Each step means less waste at the end of the day. </p>
<p>If you want to reduce waste in your life, choose reusable mugs, cutlery or grocery bags instead of single-use plastic items. Many towns and cities have <a href="https://berkeleyca.gov/doing-business/operating-berkeley/food-service/single-use-foodware-rules">made this the rule</a>. </p>
<p>Some communities also collect organic wastes, like food scraps and yard trimmings, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/city-compost-programs-turn-garbage-into-black-gold-that-boosts-food-security-and-social-justice-136169">turn them into compost</a> – a soil-like material that gardeners and landscapers use as fertilizer. And many gardeners do their own <a href="https://www.epa.gov/recycle/composting-home">composting at home</a>.</p>
<p>You can <a href="https://www.wastedive.com/news/adam-minter-on-why-secondhand-markets-are-the-true-circular-economies/567057/">reuse</a> by buying secondhand goods and clothes and donating your unwanted but still usable stuff. <a href="https://www.freecycle.org/pages/about">Freecycle networks</a> make it easy to give away usable items that you don’t need and get different goods in return. </p>
<p>Recycling paper, plastics, glass and aluminum keeps them out of landfills. It also <a href="https://kingcounty.gov/depts/dnrp/solid-waste/programs/climate/climate-change-recycling.aspx">helps to slow climate change</a>, since it can take less energy to make new products from recycled materials. In 2018, <a href="https://www.epa.gov/facts-and-figures-about-materials-waste-and-recycling/national-overview-facts-and-figures-materials">nearly one-third</a> of municipal solid waste in the U.S. was either recycled or composted. </p>
<p>Some items, like plastic bags and straws, can be hard to recycle. But aluminum cans, paper, cardboard and <a href="https://millerrecycling.com/plastics-recycling-numbers/">certain kinds of plastic</a> are successfully recycled at much higher rates. Knowing <a href="https://dnr.mo.gov/waste-recycling">what can be recycled where you live</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-is-wishcycling-two-waste-experts-explain-173825">how to do it</a>, is important – <a href="https://www.realsimple.com/home-organizing/green-living/best-and-worst-states-recycling-study">the rules vary a lot from place to place</a>.</p>
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<p>There are <a href="https://www.gdrc.org/uem/waste/more-3r.html">more than 3 Rs to act on</a>. You can <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AO-EuhVzONM">repair</a>, <a href="https://www.thisoldhouse.com/cambridge-house/21014966/what-to-expect-with-reclaimed-wood">reclaim</a> and <a href="https://www.replate.com/waste-less-food/leftovers-reimagined/">reimagine</a> how you buy and use things. </p>
<p>There’s growing discussion about the <a href="https://www.repair.org/stand-up">right to repair</a> – giving consumers access to information and parts so they can repair their own goods, from electronics to cars. Companies would rather have you buy new replacements, but many people are pushing for rules that make it easier to fix your own stuff.</p>
<p>There are many options for reducing waste before space is the only place left to put it. Once you try some, you’ll find it’s easier than you think.</p>
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<p><em>Hello, curious kids! Do you have a question you’d like an expert to answer? Ask an adult to send your question to <a href="mailto:curiouskidsus@theconversation.com">CuriousKidsUS@theconversation.com</a>. Please tell us your name, age and the city where you live.</em></p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/197378/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Kate O'Neill does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Humans generate a lot of trash, but there are cheaper and safer ways to handle it than loading it on rockets.Kate O'Neill, Professor of Global Environmental Politics, University of California, BerkeleyLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1474322020-10-13T13:37:04Z2020-10-13T13:37:04ZWhy microplastics found in Nigeria’s freshwaters raise a red flag<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/362943/original/file-20201012-23-8ebit8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Plastic pollution remains a topmost environmental concern </span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/photo-taken-on-june-2-2018-shows-plastic-wastes-dumped-in-news-photo/967172688?adppopup=true">Pius Utomi Ekpei/AFP via Getty Images </a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Freshwater ecosystems are a priority for environmental scientists because they affect the health of animals and plants on land too – as well as people. They <a href="https://www.nap.edu/catalog/11139/valuing-ecosystem-services-toward-better-environmental-decision-making">provide</a> food, water, transport and flood control. Freshwater ecosystems also keep nutrients moving among organisms and support diverse forms of life. </p>
<p><a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/232613616_So_much_to_do_so_little_time_identifying_priorities_for_freshwater_biodiversity_conservation_in_the_USA_and_Britain">Freshwater</a> systems make a big difference to the quality of life in any human society. But they are under great pressure. Freshwater biodiversity is <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/232613616_So_much_to_do_so_little_time_identifying_priorities_for_freshwater_biodiversity_conservation_in_the_USA_and_Britain">declining</a> faster than terrestrial biodiversity. </p>
<p>Among the three major types of habitats – terrestrial, freshwater and marine – <a href="https://www.usgs.gov/special-topic/water-science-school/science/freshwater-lakes-and-rivers-and-water-cycle?qt-science_center_objects=0#qt-science_center_objects">freshwater accounts for less than 1%</a> of the earth’s surface. Yet these habitats <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16336747/">support more species</a> per unit area and account for about 6% of the world’s biodiversity. </p>
<p>One of the biggest <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11356-020-08763-8">stresses</a> on freshwater ecosystems is the presence of plastics. Some microplastics – tiny pieces of plastic that have broken down from bigger pieces – get into water from various sources. Some are introduced from industrial sources like cosmetics, toothpaste and shaving cream. Another <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0025326X14003622">major source</a> is dumping of plastic waste like bags and bottles.</p>
<p>In <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B9780128178805000220">Nigeria</a>, an important source is the plastic sachets that contain drinking water. Over 60 million of these are consumed in a day.</p>
<p><a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs11356-020-08763-8">Ultimately</a> all these types of plastic waste find their way to the aquatic environment. There they stay in the water column, settle on river beds or are ingested by aquatic animals.</p>
<p>My research group set out to <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs11356-020-08763-8">assess</a> the load and chemical nature of microplastics in two important rivers and Gulf of Guinea tributaries in Nigeria. We looked for the presence of microplastics in aquatic insects since they often <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/aquatic-insects">dominate aquatic animal life</a>. Most also spend their adult stage in the terrestrial environment, once they emerge from their larvae. We <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs11356-020-08763-8">found</a> that microplastics were present in large quantities in the insect larvae. The insects are part of a food chain and could transfer the harmful effects of microplastics throughout the chain. </p>
<p>This further reinforces the urgent need for Nigeria to go ahead with measures to reduce the use of plastic bags and single-use plastics. </p>
<h2>The research findings</h2>
<p>We used three of the rivers’ aquatic insect species as bio-indicators and found that all three had ingested microplastics from the two rivers. The ingested microplastics include styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, chlorinated polyethylene, polypropylene, and polyester. The quantity of microplastics ingested by the insects was fairly high, especially in the <em>Chironomus sp.</em> which is a riverbed dweller recorded in the Ogun River.</p>
<p>The diversity of plastic polymers recorded in these insects suggests a wide range of applications of plastics in Nigeria.</p>
<p>The <a href="https://www.annualreviews.org/doi/10.1146/annurev-ento-011613-161958">three insect species</a> spend their larval stages in the water and later migrate to land in the adult phase. The <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs11356-020-08763-8">concern</a> is that the insect larvae could serve as a link for microplastics’ transfer to higher trophic levels in the aquatic environment. Also, the adults serve in the same capacity in the terrestrial environment. A trophic level is the group of organisms within an ecosystem which occupy the same level in a food chain.</p>
<p>Dragonfly larvae in the water are eaten by fish, salamanders, turtles, birds and beetles. Adult dragonflies on land are also <a href="http://www.dragonfliesnva.com/My%20Documents/KevinPDF/pdf/dragons%20101/Who%20Eats%20Who.pdf">eaten</a> by birds and other insects. </p>
<p>Other <a href="https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-319-16510-3_13">research elsewhere</a> has shown the link between microplastics and human health. </p>
<p>Through feeding, the transfer of microplastics in the environment could go as far as <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0269749113000614">people</a> – who caused the plastic pollution in the first place. </p>
<p><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26399762/">Evidence</a> suggests that microplastics reduce the physiological fitness of animals. This comes through decreased food consumption, weight loss, decreased growth rate, energy depletion and susceptibility to other harmful substances. <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26399762/">Human health</a> could similarly be at risk on account of microplastic ingestion. </p>
<p>Microplastics can be retained for a longer time at the higher trophic levels where humans belong, thereby predisposing <a href="https://www.springer.com/gp/book/9783319616148">humans to serious health hazards</a>. </p>
<h2>Case for a plastic bags ban</h2>
<p>A ban on plastic bags would curb the plastic pollution in Nigeria. There are alternatives to the use of plastic bags, for instance, bags made from <a href="https://www.dw.com/en/the-ugandan-women-making-paper-bags-from-bananas/av-44642676">banana stalks</a>, <a href="https://www.depreneurdigest.com/7-green-shopping-bags-that-are-alternative-to-plastics/#:%7E:text=It%20may%20not%20be%20the,or%20weight%20than%20plastic%20bags">coconut, palm leaf, cassava flour and chicken feathers</a>. Unlike plastic bags, which could persist in the environments for <a href="https://business-ethics.com/2010/09/17/4918-plastic-grocery-bags-how-long-until-they-decompose/">over a century</a>, bags made from these organic materials decompose readily in a manner that does not pose a health risk to the environment.</p>
<p>For a long while, the call to mitigate plastic pollution was not heeded in Nigeria. Recently, the House of Representatives <a href="https://www.thecable.ng/reps-pass-bill-to-ban-plastic-bags-prescribe-3-year-jail-term-for-sale">passed a bill</a> banning plastic bags. But this is yet to be implemented as the president has not assented to it. </p>
<p>A study in the European Union indicates that a ban on single-use plastics could reduce marine plastic pollution by about <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/12/9/3746">5.5%</a>.</p>
<p>It is about time Nigeria treated plastic pollution as a national emergency, considering its implications for human health and the ecological integrity of aquatic ecosystems. An approach that puts people at the centre of the issue has been suggested as <a href="http://services.cambridge.org/us/academic/subjects/life-sciences/ecology-and-conservation/conservation-2nd-edition?format=PB&isbn=9780521181686">one way</a> to convince local communities to preserve the integrity of the environment. </p>
<p>Perhaps this approach could help restore plastic-laden aquatic ecosystems and preserve the pristine ones.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/147432/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Emmanuel O. Akindele receives funding from German Academic Exchange Service. </span></em></p>Microplastics could pose a threat to the sustenance of aquatic biodiversity when ingested by animals.Emmanuel O. Akindele, Senior Lecturer, Obafemi Awolowo UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1426712020-07-17T04:07:40Z2020-07-17T04:07:40ZThree reasons why banning plastic bags is problematic<p>There has been a growing trend of restrictions and bans on plastic bag use worldwide. By mid-2018, <a href="https://www.wri.org/blog/2019/03/127-countries-now-regulate-plastic-bags-why-arent-we-seeing-less-pollution">over 127 countries</a> had enacted regulations limiting their use, a <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0956053X19300960">more than threefold increase</a> over the last decade.</p>
<p>The latest adherents are Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia, the second-largest polluter of plastic waste into the oceans, and Japan, which <a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/business/articles/2019-06-25/big-plastic-user-japan-fights-waste-ahead-of-g-20-summit">ranks second</a> for volume of single-use plastic packaging per person. On July 1, both Jakarta and Japan banned the use of free plastic bags at checkout counters.</p>
<p>These recent policies in Jakarta (an outright prohibition) and Japan (a surcharge) are important steps by politicians towards shifting away from a linear economy in which resources are often used once and then discarded. They should indeed decrease the number of plastic bags that <a href="https://www.wired.com/2016/06/banning-plastic-bags-great-world-right-not-fast/">end up in landfills, clog sewer systems, spoil our landscapes, degrade into secondary microplastic pollution and kill wildlife</a>. They may also raise environmental consciousness among consumers.</p>
<p>Despite the good intentions of these new rules, plastic bag bans are problematic for a few reasons.</p>
<h2>1. They are not the largest sources of plastic pollution</h2>
<p>Plastic waste is indeed a very serious problem. Humans use as many as <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0956053X19300960">1 trillion single-use “carrier bags”</a>, about 128 per person per year. The total for all single-use plastic is much greater, at <a href="https://www.nrdc.org/stories/single-use-plastics-101">150 million tons per year</a>. Think of this as 19.23kg of single-use bottles, cutlery, straws, packaging and more for <a href="https://www.worldometers.info/world-population/">every single person on the planet</a>.</p>
<p>However, the latest research shows plastic bags make up <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-019-55065-2">only a fraction of marine debris</a> in the waters of Greater Jakarta. Thin or thick plastic wraps and sacks constitute just over <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-019-55065-2">13.5% of all debris items found and 8.5% of their weight</a>. </p>
<p>In Japan, plastic shopping bags account for only about <a href="https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2020/06/30/national/all-japan-stores-to-charge-for-plastic-bags/">2% of all plastic waste produced</a> in the country.</p>
<p>Moreover, while plastic bags are visible to us all, we need to remember that what is in them is often more harmful to the environment than the bags themselves. For example, products with heavy plastic packaging and containers can weigh many times more than the bag. Or consider the actual items, from toxic cleaning solvents, to high-food-mile imported strawberries, to soda in an aluminium can.</p>
<h2>2. Consumers may shift to worse alternatives</h2>
<p>Evidence from previous plastic bag restrictions shows this does reduce their use, but <a href="https://www.wired.com/2016/06/banning-plastic-bags-great-world-right-not-fast/">sometimes leads to more environmental harm</a> if customers <a href="https://www.lifecycleinitiative.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Single-use-plastic-bags-and-alternatives-Recommendations-from-LCA-final.pdf">switch to other materials with larger resource footprints</a>.</p>
<p>Paper bags can require <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/business-47027792">400% more energy to make, not to mention the harvesting of trees and use of noxious chemicals in production</a>. Growing cotton <a href="https://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/2020/04/30/plastic-paper-cotton-bags/">“requires land, huge quantities of water, chemical fertilisers and pesticides”</a>.</p>
<p>Plastic bags use fossil fuels, a nonrenewable resource, and are permanent, <a href="https://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/2020/04/30/plastic-paper-cotton-bags/">entering the waste stream forever</a>. They may cause <a href="https://www.lifecycleinitiative.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Single-use-plastic-bags-and-alternatives-Recommendations-from-LCA-final.pdf">more pollution on land and in waterways, but have less effect on climate change and land use</a> than other types of bags. </p>
<p>Biodegradable bags, perhaps surprisingly, <a href="https://www.lifecycleinitiative.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Single-use-plastic-bags-and-alternatives-Recommendations-from-LCA-final.pdf">could be “the worst option”</a> in terms of their impact on climate, harm to soil, water pollution and toxic emissions.</p>
<p>In the end, a decision on the type of bag becomes about which particular environmental issue takes priority. </p>
<h2>3. Consumers, who feel good about not using plastic bags, may do more harm in other ways</h2>
<p>Researchers in psychology have <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00348/full">observed</a> people often harm the environment when they try to save the planet. For example, they might buy more of a product, like groceries, because they are labeled as eco-friendly.</p>
<p>This is related to the concept of compensatory behaviour.</p>
<p>For example, people may feel that, since they recycle, they don’t need to consider the extra meat they ate that week. Or because they walked instead of driving to the store, they deserve to buy an extra piece of clothing.</p>
<p>Sometimes compensatory action takes the form of attempts to account for previous harms. For example, buying carbon offsets for flying might make a passenger feel good, but from an environmental perspective it’s less desirable than not boarding in the first place. </p>
<p>The point here is that reducing plastic bag use might grant people mental licence to take other actions that are more detrimental to the environment.</p>
<p>So where does this leave us, and what should we do? </p>
<h2>What’s next?</h2>
<p>Ultimately, the greatest gain from plastic bag bans and pricing is probably in shifting environmental outlooks. </p>
<p>Research connects charges for plastic bags to <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6399129/">attitudinal changes among consumers</a>, including support for additional environmental policies. </p>
<p>There can be broader shifts in norms, as “<a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/09644010902823717">the emergence around the world of an anti-plastic bag norm has been rapid and widespread</a>”. The hope is that increased consciousness in this part of our lives will raise awareness about environmental impacts and alter behaviour in other ways.</p>
<p>This leads to some insights about bags. </p>
<p>For example, according to the UN Environment Program, <a href="https://www.lifecycleinitiative.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Single-use-plastic-bags-and-alternatives-Recommendations-from-LCA-final.pdf">a cloth bag used between 50 and 150 times will have a lower climate impact</a> than a single-use plastic bag.</p>
<p>When it comes to a plastic bag, if you want to want to halve the environmental harm, use it twice. Drop it to 25%? Use it four times. Reduce the impact by 90%? Use it ten times.</p>
<p>And if we do get reusable bags, we really need to re-use, re-use and re-use them. As an article in Popular Science has <a href="https://www.popsci.com/plastic-bag-better-than-reusable-tote/">pointed out</a>: “Regardless of the material, the best bags are the ones you already own.”</p>
<p>In the end, should plastic bag bans be banned? Not exactly, but the entire story of their effects must be more closely considered.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/142671/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>David D. Sussman tidak bekerja, menjadi konsultan, memiliki saham, atau menerima dana dari perusahaan atau organisasi mana pun yang akan mengambil untung dari artikel ini, dan telah mengungkapkan bahwa ia tidak memiliki afiliasi selain yang telah disebut di atas.</span></em></p>To ban or not to ban plastic bag useDavid D. Sussman, Visiting Scholar, Tufts UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1355532020-04-28T02:15:00Z2020-04-28T02:15:00ZUsing lots of plastic packaging during the coronavirus crisis? You’re not alone<p>In eight years, US environmentalist and social media star Lauren Singer had never sent an item of rubbish to landfill. But last month, in an <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B-AZdAOF9Lw/?igshid=1mcfnjt4zddd0">impassioned post</a> to her 383,000 Instagram followers, she admitted the reality of COVID-19 has changed that.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>I sacrificed my values and bought items in plastic. Lots of it, and plastic that I know isn’t recyclable in NYC (New York City) recycling or maybe even anywhere … why would I go against something that I have actively prioritised and promoted?</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Singer wrote that as the seriousness of COVID-19 dawned, she stocked up on items she’d need if confined to her home for a long period – much of it packaged in plastic. </p>
<p>Her confession encapsulates how the pandemic has challenged those of us who are trying to reduce our waste. Many sustainability-conscious people may now find themselves with cupboards stocked with plastic bottles of hand sanitiser, disposable wipes and takeaway food containers. </p>
<p>So let’s look at why this is happening, and what to do about it.</p>
<h2>Sustainability out the window</h2>
<p>We research how consumers respond to change, <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/340451756_How_banning_legitimate_entities_can_change_markets">such as</a> why consumers largely resisted single-use plastic bag bans. Recently we’ve explored how the coronavirus has changed the use of plastic bags, containers and other disposable products.</p>
<p>Amid understandable concern over health and hygiene during the pandemic, the problem of disposable plastics has taken a <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/lauratenenbaum/2020/04/25/plastic-waste-during-the-time-of-covid-19/#2c6b6c47e484">back seat</a>.</p>
<p>For example, Coles’ home delivery service <a href="https://shop.coles.com.au/a/essendon-fields/content/priority-service-information">is delivering items in plastic bags</a> (albeit reusable ones) and many coffee shops have <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8085567/Sydney-cafe-bans-customers-using-reusable-cups-stop-spread-coronavirus.html">banned reusable mugs</a>, <a href="https://www.news.com.au/finance/business/retail/coronavirus-reusable-cups-banned-from-starbucks-coffee-club/news-story/d840738f512c7f12ee1cc47e335e53a9">including global Starbucks branches</a>.</p>
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<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/for-decades-scientists-puzzled-over-the-plastic-missing-from-our-oceans-but-now-its-been-found-133434">For decades, scientists puzzled over the plastic 'missing' from our oceans – but now it's been found</a>
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</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>Restaurants and other food businesses can now only offer home delivery or takeaway options. Many won’t allow customers to bring their own containers, defaulting to disposables which generate <a href="https://qz.com/1802406/startups-are-trying-to-solve-takeouts-plastic-problem/">plastic waste</a>. This means many consumers can’t reduce their plastic waste, even if they wanted to. </p>
<p>Demand for products such as disposable wipes, cleaning agents, hand sanitiser, disposable gloves and masks is at a record high. Unfortunately, they’re also being thrown out in unprecedented volumes.</p>
<p>And the imperative to prevent the spread of coronavirus means <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2020/3/26/21194647/the-covid-19-pandemic-is-generating-tons-of-medical-waste">tonnes of medical waste</a> is being generated. For example, hospitals and aged care facilities <a href="https://waste-management-world.com/a/coronavirus-advice-for-the-australian-waste-recycling-industry">have been advised to</a> double-bag clinical waste from COVID-19 patients. While this is a necessary measure, it adds to the plastic waste problem.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/330619/original/file-20200427-145503-147ypu6.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/330619/original/file-20200427-145503-147ypu6.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=411&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/330619/original/file-20200427-145503-147ypu6.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=411&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/330619/original/file-20200427-145503-147ypu6.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=411&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/330619/original/file-20200427-145503-147ypu6.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=516&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/330619/original/file-20200427-145503-147ypu6.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=516&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/330619/original/file-20200427-145503-147ypu6.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=516&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Many cafes will not accept reusable cups during the health crisis.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">The Conversation</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Cause for hope</h2>
<p>Sustainability and recycling efforts are continuing. Soft plastics recycler <a href="https://www.facebook.com/REDcyclebyREDGroup/">Red Cycle</a> is still operating. However many dropoff points for soft plastics, such as schools and council buildings, are closed, and some supermarkets have removed their dropoff bins.</p>
<p>Boomerang Alliance’s <a href="http://www.plasticfreeplaces.org/">Plastic Free Places</a> program has launched a guide for cafes and restaurants during COVID-19. It shows how to avoid single-use plastics, and what compostable packaging alternatives are available.</p>
<p>As the guide <a href="https://www.plasticfreeplaces.org/post/sustainable-takeaway-packaging">notes</a>, “next year the coronavirus will hopefully be a thing of the past but plastic pollution won’t be. It’s important that we don’t increase plastic waste and litter in the meantime.”</p>
<h2>Old habits die hard</h2>
<p>In the US, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/mar/27/rightwing-thinktanks-use-fear-of-covid-19-to-fight-bans-on-plastic-bags">lobbyists for the plastic industry</a> have <a href="https://www.fastcompany.com/90483143/the-plastic-industry-is-using-the-coronavirus-to-fight-plastic-bag-bans">taken advantage of health fears</a> by arguing <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/26/climate/plastic-bag-ban-virus.html">single-use plastic bags</a> are a more hygienic option than reusable ones. Plastic bag bans have since been rolled back in the US and elsewhere. </p>
<p>However, there is <a href="https://www.fda.gov/food/food-safety-during-emergencies/shopping-food-during-covid-19-pandemic-information-consumers">little evidence</a> to show plastic bags are a safer option, and at least reusable cloth bags <a href="https://www.qld.gov.au/health/conditions/health-alerts/coronavirus-covid-19/information-for/industry-and-businesses/resources-and-fact-sheets-for-industry/routine-household-cleaning">can be washed</a>.</p>
<p>A relaxation on plastic bag bans – even if temporary – is likely to have long-term consequences for consumer behaviour. Research shows one of the biggest challenges in promoting sustainable behaviours is to <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/0022242919825649">break old habits and adopt new ones</a>. Once people return to using plastic bags, the practice becomes normalised again.</p>
<p>In Europe, the plastic industry is using the threat of coronavirus contamination to push back against a <a href="https://fd0ea2e2-fecf-4f82-8b1b-9e5e1ebec6a0.filesusr.com/ugd/2eb778_9d8ec284e39b4c7d84e774f0da14f2e8.pdf">ban on single-use plastics</a> such as food containers and cutlery. </p>
<p>Such reframing of plastic as a “protective” health material can divert attention from its dangers to the environment. <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/0743915618810440?casa_token=UlRC8kaXhJ0AAAAA:qt91-_9-PxAHdGRRr-xYKavt9LRCaw0WvEmkT4sk3sao8bgrvvyCETMkm2RDFQXD3fwdAaIvvbq-tg">Prior research</a>, as well as our preliminary findings, suggest these <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1469540510390500?casa_token=27yxd3HU-bAAAAAA:F3-TFNtYQAGXJR0f8wgpJ4W69QZVuyKp79O9GddFOWy2kiGdNI9Ul2B77O4IfUQxz9dZnzhLUjWJeA">meanings matter</a> when it comes to encouraging environmentally friendly behaviours. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/stop-shaming-and-start-empowering-advertisers-must-rethink-their-plastic-waste-message-123579">Stop shaming and start empowering: advertisers must rethink their plastic waste message</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>Many people are using their time at home to clear out items they no longer need. However, most second-hand and charity shops <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-04-04/charities-say-stop-donating-if-shop-closed-due-to-coronavirus/12120046">are closed</a>, so items that might have had a second life end up in landfill. </p>
<p>Similarly, many <a href="https://brisbanetoollibrary.org/">tool</a>, <a href="https://www.alia.org.au/how-libraries-are-responding-covid-19">book</a> and <a href="https://www.toylibraries.org.au/">toy libraries</a> are closed, meaning some people will be buying items they might otherwise have borrowed.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/330621/original/file-20200427-145553-1y21czx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/330621/original/file-20200427-145553-1y21czx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=392&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/330621/original/file-20200427-145553-1y21czx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=392&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/330621/original/file-20200427-145553-1y21czx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=392&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/330621/original/file-20200427-145553-1y21czx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=493&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/330621/original/file-20200427-145553-1y21czx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=493&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/330621/original/file-20200427-145553-1y21czx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=493&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Once consumers go back to using plastic bags, it will take time to break the habit again.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Darren England/AAP</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>What to do</h2>
<p>We can expect the environmental cause will return to the foreground when the COVID-19 crisis has passed. In the meantime, reuse what you have, and try to store rather than throw out items for donation or recycling.</p>
<p>Talk to takeaway food outlets about options for using your own containers, and refuse disposable cutlery or napkins with deliveries. Use the time to upskill your coffee-making at home rather than buying it in a takeaway cup. And look for grocery suppliers offering more sustainable delivery packaging, such as cardboard boxes or biodegradable bags. </p>
<p>Above all, be vigilant about ways environmental protections such as plastic bag bans might be undermined during the pandemic, and voice your concerns to politicians. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/we-organised-a-conference-for-570-people-without-using-plastic-heres-how-it-went-120157">We organised a conference for 570 people without using plastic. Here's how it went</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/135553/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Many sustainability-conscious people now find their cupboards stocked with plastic bottles of hand sanitiser, disposable wipes and takeaway food containers.Daiane Scaraboto, Associate Professor of Marketing, The University of MelbourneAlison M Joubert, Lecturer in Marketing, The University of QueenslandClaudia Gonzalez-Arcos, Lecturer in Marketing, The University of QueenslandLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1184622019-06-11T15:49:54Z2019-06-11T15:49:54ZAre retailers ‘bagging’ the 5p plastic carrier bag charge?<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/278893/original/file-20190611-32321-1w2ol94.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C6016%2C3998&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/human-hand-holding-farmer-market-bag-705425626?src=5ym0hfsvDbIi6HjcD3nESA-1-3">GLRL/Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>If you’ve ever forgotten your bag for life at the shop till and had to buy a plastic bag, you may have wondered where that money goes. The carrier bag levy of five pence (5p) was rolled out on October 5 2015 in England. <a href="https://www.gov.uk/guidance/carrier-bag-charges-retailers-responsibilities">Retailers are expected to donate the proceeds to good causes</a> that would benefit society and the environment, and to report that information to the government.</p>
<p>We looked at <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0301479718314129">how the scheme has been implemented since then</a>. The regulation was intended to limit the number of people using single-use plastic carrier bags, so that fewer end up as litter around the UK. These bags <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/silent-killers-the-danger-of-plastic-bags-to-marine-life-1881783599.html">can also ensnare and choke wildlife</a> and <a href="https://www.wwf.org.au/news/blogs/what-do-sea-turtles-eat-unfortunately-plastic-bags">some species mistake them for food</a>. The ensuing levy has succeeded in curtailing single-use plastic bags – according to government figures, plastic bag sales in Britain’s largest supermarkets <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/news/plastic-bag-sales-in-big-seven-supermarkets-down-86-since-5p-charge">were down by 80% three years on</a>.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/278894/original/file-20190611-32335-1gndxxj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/278894/original/file-20190611-32335-1gndxxj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=309&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/278894/original/file-20190611-32335-1gndxxj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=309&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/278894/original/file-20190611-32335-1gndxxj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=309&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/278894/original/file-20190611-32335-1gndxxj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=388&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/278894/original/file-20190611-32335-1gndxxj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=388&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/278894/original/file-20190611-32335-1gndxxj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=388&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Plastic bags persist for years in the environment, where they can cause harm to wildlife.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/hungry-gull-finds-itself-plastic-bag-630931349?src=ulM40yHMlWs5Kg3MeM6Dtw-1-13">Photography by Adri/Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>A drop in the ocean</h2>
<p>The benefits of the 5p levy are clear, but there’s still the question of where the money goes. The charge isn’t a tax, so the government doesn’t collect it – and can’t dictate where the money goes, so can only recommend shops donate it. While most retailers commit some funds to charitable causes, the amount donated tends to vary.</p>
<p>Every retailer has its own policy for managing the levy and can decide how much of the proceeds from it are donated. Retailers must report <a href="https://www.gov.uk/guidance/carrier-bag-charges-retailers-responsibilities">what they do with the proceeds from the levy</a>, but not how much. And the publication of information on donations is voluntary. Based on <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/carrier-bag-charge-summary-of-data-in-england/single-use-plastic-carrier-bags-charge-data-in-england-for-2017-to-2018">data published by the government for 2017-2018</a>, only around 60% of retailers voluntarily gave information on donations they had made to good causes. There is no way to tell what happened to the remaining 40% – it’s possible that some did not donate at all.</p>
<p>Several stores discourage people from buying 5p carrier bags in favour of more durable but more expensive options that are re-usable, such as “bags for life”. The more expensive bags are usually prominently displayed at checkouts, while the 5p bags are often just out of sight. </p>
<p>Bags for life aren’t “single-use” in the legislation, so the proceeds from their sales don’t have to be donated to charity. In other words, retailers can consider such sales as an additional source of income. While retailers can encourage shoppers to retain and reuse these bags, there is an opportunity for some to profit from their sale to shoppers who buy a new one each time. This suggests that the main beneficiaries of the carrier bag levy in England may well be the retailers themselves.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/278895/original/file-20190611-32347-1rsfkuh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/278895/original/file-20190611-32347-1rsfkuh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/278895/original/file-20190611-32347-1rsfkuh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/278895/original/file-20190611-32347-1rsfkuh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/278895/original/file-20190611-32347-1rsfkuh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/278895/original/file-20190611-32347-1rsfkuh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/278895/original/file-20190611-32347-1rsfkuh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Retailers aren’t obliged to donate the proceeds from reusable bag sales.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/customer-hold-reusable-green-shopping-bag-1257013726?src=4LEvJCuBWhmK1VXCrvJfzg-1-1">Kwangmoozaa/Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Very few retailers advise customers that they <a href="https://www.gov.uk/guidance/carrier-bag-charges-retailers-responsibilities">can get a free replacement</a> for used carrier bags. Customers can bring their old, used carrier bags from a shop and have them exchanged for new ones for free at the same shop. There weren’t signs to convey this to customers in any of the stores that we surveyed. Many shoppers are unaware that they can avoid the 5p charge altogether by exchanging the 5p bags for free when they are worn out. Unfortunately, retailers are doing little to educate their customers on how to recycle the bags.</p>
<p>We found that the more expensive the store, the more likely customers will pay for carrier bags rather than reuse old ones, so reducing the number of carrier bags being bought may depend to a certain extent on the value of the goods. Advertising the bag replacement scheme could have more effect, then, in department stores and places selling more expensive goods.</p>
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<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/the-5p-carrier-bag-charge-has-paved-the-way-for-other-waste-reduction-policies-64911">The 5p carrier bag charge has paved the way for other waste reduction policies</a>
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<p>Prior to the levy, the cost of designing and manufacturing these single-use bags fell directly on the stores, with no profit margin. Now that stores charge customers for single-use bags, the revenue from the sale can provide them with extra resources to invest in the design and quality of reusable bags for life.</p>
<p>We found that the design of these reusable bags has considerably improved since the levy came into effect, with more colourful and eye catching designs that carry the logo and name of sponsors. Customers end up carrying these sponsor messages to a broader audience and are inadvertently acting as brand ambassadors for these stores.</p>
<p>What we found when we dug into the plastic bag levy suggests it has been managed in a way that can confuse customers and leave them unaware of the levy’s purpose or their option to return used bags. If customers believe their 5p is going to good causes but discover it’s actually going into marketing spend for retailers, they may lose confidence in the scheme. The levy has been a remarkable success so far, it would be a shame for it to let down customers through a lack of accountability and transparency.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/118462/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Surendranath Jory conducted this research with Abdelhafid Benamraoui, Jose Luis Ruiz-Alba and Ioannis Christodoulou from the University of Westminster and Nnamdi Madichie from Bloomsbury Institute London, UK.</span></em></p>Ever wondered where the 5p you pay for plastic bags in the UK goes?Surendranath Jory, Associate Professor of Finance, University of SouthamptonLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1105712019-03-14T10:39:26Z2019-03-14T10:39:26ZPlastic bag bans can backfire if consumers just use other plastics instead<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/263260/original/file-20190311-86703-19h50ql.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">One use and done? Not always.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plastic_shopping_bag#/media/File:Shopping_plastic_bags.jpg">Peteruetz/Wikimedia</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/">CC BY-SA</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Governments are increasingly banning the use of plastic products, such as <a href="https://www.cawrecycles.org/list-of-national-bans">carryout bags</a>, <a href="https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/2018/07/news-how-plastic-straw-bans-work/">straws</a>, <a href="https://www.motherjones.com/environment/2019/01/berkeley-ban-plastic-single-use-disposables-food/">utensils</a> and <a href="https://www.fda.gov/Cosmetics/GuidanceRegulation/LawsRegulations/ucm531849.htm">microbeads</a>. The goal is to reduce the amount of plastic going into landfills and waterways. And the logic is that banning something should make it less abundant.</p>
<p>However, this logic falls short if people actually reuse those items instead of buying new ones. For example, so-called “single-use” plastic carryout bags can have a multitude of unseen second lives – as trash bin liners, dog poop bags and storage receptacles. </p>
<p>A U.K. government study calculated that a shopper would need to reuse a cotton carryout bag 131 times to reduce its global warming potential – its expected total contribution to climate change – below that of plastic carryout bags used once to carry newly purchased goods. To have less impact on the climate than <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/291023/scho0711buan-e-e.pdf">plastic carryout bags also reused as trash bags</a>, consumers would need to use the cotton bag 327 times. </p>
<p><a href="https://www.rebeccataylor.site/research">My research</a> has evaluated carryout bag regulations from many angles. In a recent study, I examined how plastic carryout bag bans in California have <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jeem.2019.01.001">changed the types of bags</a> people use at checkout, as well as these bans’ unintended impacts on consumer purchasing habits. My results showed that bag bans may not reduce total plastic usage if people begin purchasing trash bags to replace the carryout bags they were previously reusing for their garbage. As this finding shows, well-intended product bans can have unintended consequences. </p>
<figure>
<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/GLgh9h2ePYw?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<figcaption><span class="caption">‘The Majestic Plastic Bag,’ a mockumentary produced by Heal the Bay to support plastic bag bans in California.</span></figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Plastic bag use in California</h2>
<p>California provides a unique laboratory for studying plastic bag regulations. From 2007 through 2015, 139 California cities and counties implemented plastic carryout bag bans. This local momentum led to the first statewide plastic bag ban in the United States, voted into law on Nov. 8, 2016. Because these restrictions were adopted at different times across the state, I was able to compare bag usage at stores with bans to those without, while also accounting for potentially confounding factors, such as seasonal shopping patterns.</p>
<p>Using sales data from retail outlets, I found that bag bans in California reduced plastic carryout bag usage by 40 million pounds per year, but that this reduction was offset by a 12 million pound annual increase in trash bag sales. This meant that 30 percent of the plastic eliminated by the ban was coming back in the form of trash bags, which are thicker than typical plastic carryout bags. </p>
<p>In particular, my results showed that bag bans caused sales of small (4 gallon), medium (8 gallon) and large (13 gallon) trash bags to increase by 120 percent, 64 percent and 6 percent respectively. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/257857/original/file-20190207-174851-1tcsn24.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/257857/original/file-20190207-174851-1tcsn24.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/257857/original/file-20190207-174851-1tcsn24.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=300&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/257857/original/file-20190207-174851-1tcsn24.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=300&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/257857/original/file-20190207-174851-1tcsn24.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=300&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/257857/original/file-20190207-174851-1tcsn24.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=377&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/257857/original/file-20190207-174851-1tcsn24.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=377&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/257857/original/file-20190207-174851-1tcsn24.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=377&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Percentage change in sales of garbage bags (red) and 114 other grocery product groups (gray) in the months before and after plastic carryout bag bans.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0095069618305291?via%3Dihub">Taylor, 2019, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jeem.2019.01.001</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/">CC BY-ND</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Disposable does not automatically mean single-use</h2>
<p>Although plastic carryout bags are widely referred to as “single-use,” consumers don’t necessarily treat them that way. By comparing the reduction in plastic carryout bags used at checkout to the increase in trash bags sold, my results revealed that 12 to 22 percent of plastic carryout bags were reused in California as trash bags pre-ban. Each reuse avoided the manufacture and purchase of another plastic bag. </p>
<p>Moreover, my study underestimated reuse because it did not examine other ways in which people use plastic carryout bags, such as wrapping fragile items for shipping or storage instead of using plastic bubble wrap. Nor did it address increased use of reusable bags made of thicker plastic in place of disposable plastic bags. </p>
<p>The <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/291023/scho0711buan-e-e.pdf">U.K. study</a> did examine the impact of shifting to thicker reusable plastic bags. It found that if these thicker bags were not reused between 9 and 26 times, they would have a higher global warming potential than disposable plastic carryout bags reused as trash bags. </p>
<h2>Who bears the burden?</h2>
<p>Who were the people who reused plastic carryout bags pre-ban, and presumably bore the burden of buying trash bags post-ban? I found that bag reuse was higher for people who purchased pet items and baby items – in other words, who needed to collect and dispose of excrement. In 2017, nearly 6 percent of U.S. households <a href="http://www.census.gov/quickfacts/">had a child under 5 years old</a>, 44 percent <a href="http://www.aspca.org/">owned a dog</a>, and 35 percent <a href="http://www.aspca.org/">owned a cat</a>. </p>
<p>I also found that plastic bag reuse was higher among people who shopped for bargains. Although reusing shopping bags as trash bags could be motivated by environmental concern, it also could be motivated by frugality. Interestingly, I did not find a correlation between plastic bag reuse and income or political leaning, but I did find a positive correlation with higher levels of education.</p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1056887967011225600"}"></div></p>
<h2>The case for fees instead of bans</h2>
<p>Why didn’t policymakers foresee that bag bans could drive up trash bag sales? Policies typically miss the mark because policymakers either do not understand people’s current behavior or fail to anticipate how people will respond in a completely new situation. </p>
<p>Banning carryout bags illustrates the first problem. Before plastic bags were banned, there was little data on who reused plastic bags or how they reused them. California’s natural experiment revealed this information for other jurisdictions to improve upon. </p>
<p>In my view, policymakers who want to minimize plastic use should consider ways to help people who want to reuse disposable bags. One option would be to offer incentives for producing inexpensive, thin carryout bags specifically designed and marketed to be used first as carryout bags, then for trash. Such bags would need to sell for less than 9 cents per bag to be price-competitive with current 4-gallon trash bags. Ideally, they would be thin enough to contribute no more to climate change than traditional carryout bags. </p>
<p>Another route that some jurisdictions, including <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1257/pol.20150261">Washington, D.C.</a>, have implemented is adopting plastic bag fees instead of bans. This approach, which allows customers to continue using plastic carryout bags as trash bags for a small fee, has been shown to be <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/aepp/ppv025">as effective as bans</a> in encouraging consumers to switch to reusable bags. </p>
<p>However, current bag fees have not promoted other uses for disposable carryout bags. These policies could be improved by educating customers about the environmental benefits of reusing disposable products. As a general rule, the more an object can be reused – even a disposable item – the better for the environment.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/110571/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Rebecca Taylor does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Many communities are banning single-use plastic shopping bags to reduce pollution, but a study in California shows that some consumers responded by purchasing more heavy plastic trash bags.Rebecca Taylor, Lecturer in Economics, University of SydneyLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1087632019-01-03T11:32:20Z2019-01-03T11:32:20ZWhy microbeads are such a threat and why they’re so hard to handle<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/250912/original/file-20181217-185234-imw1xw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Shampoo containing plastic microbeads</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">KYtan/Shutterstock</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Plastic is everywhere. It is used across a spectrum of applications from durable industrial equipment, household appliances to throw-away single-use items and even the clothes we wear. This wide scope of uses is ascribed to its versatility, low-cost and because it’s extremely durable. </p>
<p>But its properties also make it a problem. Because it’s so durable the lifespan of a plastic product is often much longer than the time it is in use for. This is especially the case for single use plastics like straws, bottles and bags. A plastic bag has an average usage time of 20 minutes, while it can take up to <a href="https://greenerideal.com/infographics/life-cycle-of-a-plastic-bag/">1000 years</a> to break down in the environment. </p>
<p>These large plastics are an environmental hazard. They entangle animals, cause damage to their respiratory surfaces, block their digestive tracts and can cause them to starve to death. </p>
<p>Although macroplastics are a clearly visible environmental pollutant, they are only part of the problem. Recent research has shown <a href="https://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/resources/waste/plastic-microbeads-160306.pdf">microplastics</a> to pose a much bigger pollution threat than previously thought. </p>
<p>Microbeads, like plastic bags and water bottles, are also a form of single use plastic. But, because they aren’t visible, are often disregarded. In recent years, scientists <a href="https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/pdf/10.1098/rsos.140317">have found</a> them in deep oceanic water, remote lakes, ground water and even drinking water. They are dangerous as the tiny particles take up harmful chemicals from the environment and, when ingested, act as carriers for pollutants into our bodies. </p>
<p>The problem is microplastics are difficult to get rid of because they’re so small and are found nearly everywhere. The best tactic to fight this pollutant is therefore to reduce the amount of plastics entering the environment. </p>
<h2>Steps so far</h2>
<p>Microplastics have two sources. They can be produced to be microscopically small – like microbeads in cosmetic products. These are tiny round plastic beads, ranging from about a hundredth of a millimetre to one millimetre, that are used to scrub skin for a minute or two before being washed into the environment where they can stay for up to <a href="http://www.vancouverbc.surfrider.org/ban-the-bead/">10 000 years</a>. </p>
<p>But most microplastics result from the breakdown of larger pieces of plastic that were not recycled and break up due to exposure to the sun or physical wear. </p>
<p>Many countries have come to realise the dangers of these microplastics and are taking action. A number have banned the use of microbeads in cosmetic products. These include Canada, the US, United Kingdom, France, Sweden, Taiwan, South Korea and New Zealand. </p>
<p>And in 2018, 57 brands joined the <a href="https://www.beatthemicrobead.org/look-for-the-zero/">“Look for the Zero”</a> campaign which pledges that no plastics are added to products. </p>
<p>In Africa, a number of countries have also started taking action against plastic pollution, with countries like Burundi, Benin, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Chad, Morocco, Rwanda and Kenya placing a ban on single use <a href="https://www.nema.go.ke/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=102&Itemid=121">plastic bags</a>. </p>
<p>South Africa put a levy on plastic bags in 2002, but while it hasn’t proved to be very successful as plastic bags are a leading environmental plastic pollutant, it is now considering a <a href="https://www.beatthemicrobead.org/results-so-far/">microbead ban</a>. This would promote incentives against plastic pollution and encourage other countries to follow suit against a relatively easily removable source of plastic pollution. Many South African cosmetics companies have already committed to keep microbeads out of their products. </p>
<h2>The challenges</h2>
<p>Measures to address the global plastic problem can place a heavy economic burden on developing countries. Because of plastic’s low production cost and usefulness as a packaging material, alternatives for single use plastics are usually expensive and places environmental pressure on other resources. </p>
<p>Microbeads could be a low hanging fruit in the fight against global plastic pollution. It would be easy to remove them and to replace them with more environmentally friendly alternatives like Jojoba beads, ground oats, almond shells and coffee. Emphasis should also be placed on <a href="https://issp.uottawa.ca/sites/issp.uottawa.ca/files/microbeads_-_literature_review_2.pdf">methods</a> of exfoliation other than physical abrasion, like enzyme and acid exfoliation.</p>
<p>The plastic pollution problem is an extremely complex issue and each country with unique socioeconomic makeup needs to tackle it to its own capacity. </p>
<p><em>Carina Verster from the Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management at North-West University also contributed to this article.</em></p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/108763/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Henk Bouwman receives funding from various sources, including the Water Research Commission, Department of Science and technology, United Nations Development Programme, and the National Research Foundation.</span></em></p>A plastic bag has an average usage time of 20 minutes, while it can take up to 1000 years to break down in the environment.Henk Bouwman, Research Professor Ecotoxicology, North-West UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1010972018-08-06T03:43:45Z2018-08-06T03:43:45ZHere’s how many times you actually need to reuse your shopping bags<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/230688/original/file-20180806-41344-wus0pb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/jeremympiehler/5527368292/in/photolist-9qrd2j-arYvpk-9pDJZb-675UH4-7kPhZZ-9abiuE-jFRHQy-4n2MBx-4cvonQ-dejEME-4X7NCL-gArTwC-iEhb9W-iEn3v9-iEukhd-ad84Wi-9mk7zT-nefCaT-iEmHnF-gJMbq3-ZFLi1S-efocwv-kX5Vt-55B3T5-cGQqHG-qBCdiT-ge4zhR-8avHjB-6sgcUv-pwq9BY-cjt2WG-9hS6QR-cjtdKU-epNzf-fNQhxs-nmDYW4-dUBJSs-7LFt28-8HVDaw-ragp7U-gJMmt7-ngipAt-gJLF8e-5B3K2k-iEkVPh-9wWnsj-7WmwB9-8YxEBy-gJMcQA-2J5x6o">Jeremy Piehler/Flickr</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/">CC BY-NC</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>The plastic bag ban by the major supermarkets (and Coles’ pivot <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-coles-plastic-bag-backflip-leaves-us-worse-off-than-before-100891">away from its ban after backlash</a>, then pivot <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/coles-flips-again-on-plastic-bag-ban-puts-end-date-on-freebies-20180802-p4zv13.html"><em>back</em> to the ban after a backlash to the backlash</a>) has left plenty of people scratching their heads. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/why-plastic-bag-bans-triggered-such-a-huge-reaction-99935">Why plastic bag bans triggered such a huge reaction</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>What are the best replacements for single-use plastic bags? Given that reusable bags are much sturdier, how many times must we use them to compensate for their larger environmental impact?</p>
<p>The simple answer is that there is no simple answer. However, a kind of research called “life cycle assessment” can help us work out the impact of common types of reusable bags. </p>
<h2>Life cycle assessments</h2>
<p>I am not aware of any Australian studies of plastic-bag substitutes. Research conducted overseas can offer a basic guide. </p>
<p>Life cycle assessments consider a <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/267980535_LIFE_CYCLE_ASSESSMENT_OF_SUPERMARKET_CARRIER_BAGS_AND_OPPORTUNITY_OF_BIOPLASTICS">wide range</a> of factors, including raw materials, manufacturing, transport, and eventual disposal. </p>
<p>Looking at all of these elements, researchers calculate greenhouse gas emissions, waste disposal, water and energy consumption and a variety of other impacts. </p>
<p>To complicate the decision further, if you choose a plastic bag, is it made from virgin resin or from recycled plastic? Even if the bag is recycled, transport is an issue – where was it made? Printing on the bag also adds to the environmental burden. </p>
<p>Finally, what happens to the bags when they can no longer meet their purpose? Are they recycled, reused as bin liners, or thrown away immediately?</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/how-to-break-up-with-plastics-using-behavioural-science-99741">How to break up with plastics (using behavioural science)</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>How many times must a bag be reused?</h2>
<p>Once all of this information has been distilled, scientists can usually offer a fairly straightforward guide: the number of times a given bag should be reused when compared to the standard supermarket plastic bag.</p>
<p>A <a href="https://www2.mst.dk/Udgiv/publications/2018/02/978-87-93614-73-4.pdf">2018 Danish study</a>, looking at the number of times a bag should be reused before being used as a bin liner and then discarded, found that:</p>
<ul>
<li><em>polypropylene bags</em> (most of the green reusable bags found at supermarkets) should be used <strong>37 times</strong> </li>
<li><em>paper bags</em> should be used <strong>43 times</strong></li>
<li><em>cotton bags</em> should be used <strong>7,100 times</strong>.</li>
</ul>
<p>Another <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/291023/scho0711buan-e-e.pdf">UK study</a>, which only considered the climate change impact, found that to have lower global warming potential than single-use plastic bags:</p>
<ul>
<li><em>paper bags</em> should be used <strong>three times</strong></li>
<li><em>low-density polyethylene bags</em> (the thicker plastic bags commonly used in supermarkets) should be used <strong>four times</strong></li>
<li><em>non-woven polypropylene bags</em> should be used <strong>11 times</strong></li>
<li><em>cotton bags</em> should be used <strong>131 times</strong>.</li>
</ul>
<p>Note, however, that if a plastic bag is reused (even as a bin liner) the number of times an alternative needs to be used increases.</p>
<p>It’s worth noting that, according to the 2018 Danish study, using organic cotton has a greater environmental impact than non-organic due to higher production costs. Our assumptions about what is environmentally friendly don’t always stand up to scrutiny.</p>
<p>A <a href="https://tigerprints.clemson.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1006&context=cudp_environment">2014 study in the United States</a> found that reusable LDPE and polypropylene bags do have a lower environmental impact than the usual plastic bags found in supermarkets – but only if they are reused enough times. This study found that about 40% of shoppers forgot to bring their reusable bags and therefore end up using the plastic bags. This then adds to the environmental burden of shopping.</p>
<p>One final consideration is how many bags you need. The Danish researchers equalised the volume of the bags so that evaluations were made on the same volume of space (this meant that for some assessments it was necessary to consider the impact of two bags).</p>
<p>As with all matters environmental, it’s essential that we have the right knowledge to make informed decisions. After looking at all this data, here are the things I’d like you to remember: </p>
<ol>
<li><p>whatever bag type you use, use it as many times as possible</p></li>
<li><p>choose bags made from recyclable materials</p></li>
<li><p>avoid bags that have printing or decorations – these alone can add significantly to the environmental burden of the bag</p></li>
<li><p>never allow a bag to become litter – recycle, reuse and repurpose your bags. </p></li>
</ol>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/why-cant-all-plastic-waste-be-recycled-100857">Why can't all plastic waste be recycled?</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/101097/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Trevor Thornton does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Buying reusable bags every time you shop is worse than just using plastic.Trevor Thornton, Lecturer, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1008912018-08-01T06:49:45Z2018-08-01T06:49:45ZWhy Coles’ plastic bag backflip leaves us worse off than before<p>One month after removing free lightweight plastic bags from checkouts, Australian supermarket giant Coles has decided to <a href="https://www.news.com.au/finance/business/retail/coles-has-backflipped-on-its-bag-ban-offering-customers-free-reusable-plastic-bags-indefinitely/news-story/4b4fdc9fffdebc8a8f48d7b0e9145979">offer thicker reusable plastics bags for free, indefinitely</a>. This unprecedented move is in response to <a href="https://www.news.com.au/finance/business/retail/furious-shoppers-attack-supermarket-giant-as-plastic-bag-ban-comes-into-effect-today/news-story/d0effa1cf6cea481493aa6266a217303">strong backlash</a> by customers who are struggling to switch to reusable bags.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/why-plastic-bag-bans-triggered-such-a-huge-reaction-99935">Why plastic bag bans triggered such a huge reaction</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>We know that offering free lightweight plastic bags causes excessive plastic use. We also know that banning lightweight bags <a href="https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2964036">can increase the use of heavier plastic bags (such as bin liners)</a>. Coles’ decision brings out the worst of both worlds: giving out heavier plastic bags for free.</p>
<h2>Free vs. fee</h2>
<p>Consumers respond to price changes: if prices go up, demand falls. Increasing the use of reusable bags by introducing a small fee has <a href="http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0734242X15577858?journalCode=wmra">generally been successful</a> around the world. This includes examples from <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27978442">Canada</a>, <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1813-6982.2011.01289.x">Botswana</a>, <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/09640568.2010.490054">Portugal</a> and Ireland, where introducing a €0.15 tax on plastic shopping bags <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs10640-006-9059-2">reduced usage by over 90%</a>. </p>
<p>An alarming example for Coles is that of South Africa. They removed lightweight plastic bags and introduced a fee of 46 rand cents for thicker plastic bags, later reducing it to 17 cents. The initial high price point almost halved the use of plastic bags, but when the price was lowered the use of plastic bags <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0921344912001073">increased over time</a>.</p>
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<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/in-banning-plastic-bags-we-need-to-make-sure-were-not-creating-new-problems-81253">In banning plastic bags we need to make sure we're not creating new problems</a>
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<p>Behavioural economics suggests that people are more sensitive to loss than gains, so financial disincentives for plastic bags are particularly useful. For example, <a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/pdf/prancotamamnta.105.64.pdf?seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents">it has been found</a> that use of single-use bags can decrease substantially when a charge is framed as a <em>tax</em>, compared to a <em>bonus</em> for bringing reusable bags.</p>
<h2>A habit of free bags</h2>
<p>Cole’s backflip is particularly troubling from a behavioural economics perspective. The thicker reusable plastic bags were meant to cost 15c. Coles are essentially offering a 100% discount on these bags compared to rival supermarkets. This, combined with the “<a href="https://thedecisionlab.com/impact-free-consumer-decision-making/">power of free</a>”, means that people may take more bags than they need when shopping – increasing plastic usage. </p>
<p>Switching to reusable bags without an added cost means that they are conceptually very similar to the old single-use bags (but with more plastic content). This replacement will not help people to kick their old single-use habits. In fact, they may develop a new habit of using the reusable bags as single-use products. If consumers continue their old habits, this could lead to even more plastic going to landfill and entering the environment.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/there-are-some-single-use-plastics-we-truly-need-the-rest-we-can-live-without-99077">There are some single-use plastics we truly need. The rest we can live without</a>
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<h2>Alternative solutions</h2>
<p>Coles is in a difficult situation. Not only has this decision divided shoppers, but if they decide to charge for these bags in the future, they are likely to experience another round of backlash as consumers experience another bout of loss aversion – but this time the loss will be associated with a higher quality product. </p>
<p>Now that the decision is made, it is important that Coles is able to evaluate the impact: How many free bags are being distributed? How many bin liners are being sold? How are the thicker plastic bags being used?</p>
<p>Coles also has a responsibility to take alternative measures to reduce plastic use. Financial disincentives are not always the best option (for example charging for bags can cause additional hardships for <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1017/S1466046609990470">low income households</a>). They are also not the only option for reducing our reliance on plastic bags.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/how-to-break-up-with-plastics-using-behavioural-science-99741">How to break up with plastics (using behavioural science)</a>
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<p>A more equitable solution could be to <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-to-break-up-with-plastics-using-behavioural-science-99741">use behavioural science</a> to help consumers break their habits. For example, instead of giving out free plastic bags, Coles could loan their reusable <em>canvas</em> bags for a small fee that is refunded on return. This would encourage reuse while avoiding additional costs for low income households or backlash from customers – everybody wins.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/100891/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Providing thicker plastic bags for free is worse than pointless. It encourages the same wasteful habits, but with more damaging material.Kim Borg, Doctoral Candidate & Research Officer at BehaviourWorks Australia, Monash Sustainable Development Institute, Monash UniversityEdwin Ip, Research Fellow, Monash UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/997412018-07-12T20:05:23Z2018-07-12T20:05:23ZHow to break up with plastics (using behavioural science)<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/227337/original/file-20180712-27024-g44m2p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Single-use plastics are convenient, but it's time to phase them out.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Photo by Sander Wehkamp/Unsplash</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Australia is responsible for over <a href="http://www.abc.net.au/science/articles/2015/02/13/4178113.htm">13 thousand tonnes</a> of plastic litter per year. At the end of June 2018, the Australian government released an <a href="https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Senate/Environment_and_Communications/WasteandRecycling/%7E/media/Committees/ec_ctte/WasteandRecycling/Report/report.pdf">inquiry report</a> on the waste and recycling industry in Australia. One of the recommendations was that we should phase out petroleum-based single-use plastics by 2023. </p>
<p>This means a real social shift, because the convenient plastic products that we use once and throw away are ubiquitous in Australia. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/in-banning-plastic-bags-we-need-to-make-sure-were-not-creating-new-problems-81253">In banning plastic bags we need to make sure we're not creating new problems</a>
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<p>Bans, as Coles and Woolworths recently adopted for plastic bags, are one option – but are not suitable for every situation. They can also feel like an imposition, which can inspire backlash if the community is not on board. Behavioural science can offer a path to curb our plastic use. </p>
<h2>Technology alone is not the solution</h2>
<p>First off, plastic is not evil: it’s flexible, durable, waterproof and cheap. The issue is the way we dispose of it. Because plastic is so versatile it has been adopted across a range of single-use “throw away” consumer products. </p>
<p>Many people are working on technological solutions to our plastic problems. These range from better recycling techniques and biodegradable “plastics” made from <a href="https://inhabitat.com/biodegradable-algae-water-bottles-that-provide-a-green-alternative-to-plastic/">algae</a> or starch, to (my favourite) using the <a href="https://www.cell.com/current-biology/fulltext/S0960-9822(17)30231-2">wax moth caterpillar</a> or “<a href="http://science.sciencemag.org/content/351/6278/1196">mutant bacteria</a>” to consume plastic waste. </p>
<p>But these options are slow and expensive. They can also have other environmental impacts such as greenhouse gas emissions and resource consumption. </p>
<p>There are lots of reusable alternatives to many single-use products. The challenge is getting people to use them. </p>
<h2>Behavioural science to the rescue</h2>
<p>My research involves applying insights from various disciplines (like economics, psychology, sociology or communication) to understand how governments and businesses can encourage people to change their behaviour for environmental, social and economic benefits.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/plastic-free-campaigns-dont-have-to-shock-or-shame-shoppers-are-already-on-board-98944">Plastic-free campaigns don't have to shock or shame. Shoppers are already on board</a>
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<p>Research has found that simply providing information through awareness campaigns is unlikely to change behaviour. What media attention and campaigning can do is <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0148296315006566">increase the public visibility of an issue</a>. This can indirectly influence our behaviour by making us more open to other interventions and by signalling social norms – the unwritten rules of acceptable behaviour. </p>
<p>Successful behaviour change campaigns must empower individuals. We should be left feeling capable of changing, that changing our behaviour will impact the problem, and that we are not alone. One positive example is modelling sustainable behaviours, like using KeepCups or beeswax wraps, in popular TV shows.</p>
<p>Once we’re aware of an issue, we may need a little help to move from <em>intention</em> to <em>action</em>. One strategy for providing this push is a small financial disincentive, like Ireland’s famous <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs10640-006-9059-2">“plastax”</a> on single-use plastic bags. Many cafés also offer discount coffees to reward bringing reusable cups. </p>
<p>We can also encourage retailers to “change the default”. Japan increased the refusal rate of plastic bags <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0921344914000020">to 40%</a> after six months of cashiers simply asking people <em>if</em> they wanted a bag. </p>
<p>This approach could be used for other products too. For example, imagine your drink not coming with a straw unless you specifically ask for it. This would cut down on waste, while also avoiding the unintended consequences of banning a product that is important for <a href="http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-04-25/the-problem-with-banning-plastic-straws/9689346">people with a disability</a>. </p>
<p>Given that there is already strong support for reducing our reliance on single-use plastics, another simple solution would be to provide prompts in key locations, like carparks and workplaces, to remind people to bring their reusables. </p>
<p>While we may have the best of intentions to carry reusables, our old habits can often get in the way. Defaults and prompts can help to bring our good <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0921344914000020">intentions in line with our actual behaviours</a>.</p>
<p>Consumer demand also encourages manufacturers to make more convenient reusable options, like <a href="https://stojo.co/">collapsible coffee cups</a> and <a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/908228738/finalstraw-the-worlds-first-collapsible-reusable-s/">metal keychain straws</a>. Businesses can also make reusables more accessible by introducing product-sharing schemes like the <a href="https://www.sbs.com.au/food/article/2018/01/24/germany-citys-answer-disposable-coffee-cups-genius">Freiburg Cup in Germany</a> or <a href="https://boomerangbags.org/">Boomerang Bags in Australia</a>. </p>
<h2>No ‘one size fits all’ solution</h2>
<p>Different situations need different solutions. Product sharing or reusable coffee cups might work in an office or café where the same customers return regularly, but would be impractical at a gallery or museum where customers vary each day. </p>
<p>For societal-level change multiple approaches are more effective than any one initiative alone. For example, if we wanted to phase out plastic cutlery nationally, we could start with an awareness campaign that encourages people to carry reusable alternatives. Then, once the community is on board, implement a small fee with some reminder prompts, and finally move to a ban once the majority have already changed their behaviour. </p>
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<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/ten-stealth-microplastics-to-avoid-if-you-want-to-save-the-oceans-90063">Ten 'stealth microplastics' to avoid if you want to save the oceans</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>The key to successfully phasing out our reliance on single-use plastic products is to change the norm. The more we talk about the problem and the solutions, the more businesses will seek out and offer alternatives, and the more likely we are to mobilise together.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/99741/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Kim Borg does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>How do you help a country get over plastic? By creating awareness and minor inconveniences and by providing lots of reminders.Kim Borg, Doctoral Candidate & Research Officer at BehaviourWorks Australia, Monash Sustainable Development Institute, Monash UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/989442018-06-27T19:56:15Z2018-06-27T19:56:15ZPlastic-free campaigns don’t have to shock or shame. Shoppers are already on board<p>With Coles and Woolworths supermarkets phasing out single-use plastic bags at their checkout counters, and Queensland and Western Australia bringing in bans on single-use plastic bags for all retailers from July 1, a long overdue step is being taken towards reducing Australia’s plastic waste. </p>
<p>However, it is only a <a href="https://www.sbs.com.au/news/why-australia-may-not-be-ready-to-ban-plastic-bags">small step</a>, and much still needs to be done to tackle the problem. </p>
<p>It is therefore useful to explore what strategies might be effective in informing the public about the issue, and in changing people’s consumption and littering behaviour.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/in-banning-plastic-bags-we-need-to-make-sure-were-not-creating-new-problems-81253">In banning plastic bags we need to make sure we're not creating new problems</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
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<p>Research shows that <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/08870440108405863">fear or shock tactics</a>, or strategies based on <a href="http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/02650487.1998.11104734">shame and guilt</a>, are generally not effective, and can even be <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/mar.20043">counterproductive</a>. High-threat fear appeals <a href="http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/109019810002700506">can be effective</a> provided that the target audience is already taking positive steps toward the desired behaviour change, or feel that they can easily do so. Crucially, this means that campaigns not only need to tell people about an issue, but also provide straightforward advice on what do to about it.</p>
<p>In this context, campaigns such as “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nK3bI4_Jjz8">Hey Tosser!</a>”, run by the New South Wales Environment Protection Authority, are ill-conceived. The problem is that encouraging the public shaming of “tossers” creates an unhelpful <a href="https://perspectra.org/2017/07/09/the-6-habits-of-a-litterbug/">stereotype</a> that doesn’t actually exist. One <a href="https://kab.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/understanding-littering-behaviour-lbs1.pdf">study</a> found that Australians are often unaware of their own littering, meaning the campaign might prompt people to identify themselves as “non-tossers” and therefore ignore the message.</p>
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<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/S0sbh4QWyTA?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<figcaption><span class="caption">Tosser shaming.</span></figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The author and social behaviour change expert <a href="https://scribepublications.com.au/books-authors/books/changeology">Les Robinson</a> has suggested that rather than try to scare or shame people into changing, it is more useful to create a positive buzz around change, make new behaviours easy to adopt and sustain, and foster supportive communities to help with change. </p>
<p>This means that whether we want to tackle littering or reduce reliance on plastic bags, it is important to make people feel that they are part of an inclusive movement that is supported by the community and relevant to their own lives.</p>
<p>One example is the WA government’s “<a href="https://www.der.wa.gov.au/your-environment/wa-plastic-bag-ban/491-plastic-bag-ban-shoppers">What’s your bag plan?</a>” campaign, which urges shoppers to decide how they will carry their shopping after the demise of plastic bags, by becoming either a “bagger” (reusable bags), a “boxer” (cardboard boxes), or a “juggler” (neither!).</p>
<h2>The good and the bad</h2>
<p>A recent action by Greenpeace, in which overpackaged fruit and veg were labelled with a sticker saying “I’d like this product to be plastic free” and “We love plastic-free fruit and veg”, makes it easy for consumers to view those changes as positive. There is no blaming or shaming, but rather a focus on making it easier for consumers to ask supermarkets for more environmentally conscious options. </p>
<p>On Instagram and Twitter Greenpeace is encouraging consumers to share photos of excessive packaging, under the hashtag <a href="http://www.greenpeace.org/international/story/15938/24-photos-of-ridiculous-plastic-packaging-that-will-make-you-scream-then-take-action/">#RidiculousPackaging</a>. This is a proactive way for consumers to take action, and for others to start noticing the overuse of plastic in supermarkets.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/225064/original/file-20180627-112623-4vl0rp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/225064/original/file-20180627-112623-4vl0rp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/225064/original/file-20180627-112623-4vl0rp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/225064/original/file-20180627-112623-4vl0rp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/225064/original/file-20180627-112623-4vl0rp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/225064/original/file-20180627-112623-4vl0rp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/225064/original/file-20180627-112623-4vl0rp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/225064/original/file-20180627-112623-4vl0rp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">A sticker campaign by Greenpeace Australia Pacific encourages consumers to choose plastic-free fruit and veg, and puts pressure on the supermarkets.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Instagram/Greenpeace Australia Pacific</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/225065/original/file-20180627-112620-1kxw0di.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/225065/original/file-20180627-112620-1kxw0di.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/225065/original/file-20180627-112620-1kxw0di.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=382&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/225065/original/file-20180627-112620-1kxw0di.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=382&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/225065/original/file-20180627-112620-1kxw0di.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=382&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/225065/original/file-20180627-112620-1kxw0di.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=480&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/225065/original/file-20180627-112620-1kxw0di.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=480&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/225065/original/file-20180627-112620-1kxw0di.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=480&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Consumers are encouraged to post images of excessive plastic wrapping.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Twitter</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>In contrast, other campaigns seek to emphasise the destructive effects of plastic waste. These can be eyecatching, but without a strong message that customers have the power to make a positive difference, they are unlikely to be effective in implementing sustained behaviour change. </p>
<p>The UK Marine Conservation Society’s campaign, showing a drinking straw lodged up a child’s nose (echoing a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4wH878t78bw">horrific viral video</a> of a sea turtle enduring the same fate), is both shocking and thought-provoking. But with no clear, positive information showing people how they can directly address the problem through changes in their own lives, viewers may simply disengage.</p>
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<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/225066/original/file-20180627-112623-1i51ayk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/225066/original/file-20180627-112623-1i51ayk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/225066/original/file-20180627-112623-1i51ayk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=769&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/225066/original/file-20180627-112623-1i51ayk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=769&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/225066/original/file-20180627-112623-1i51ayk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=769&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/225066/original/file-20180627-112623-1i51ayk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=967&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/225066/original/file-20180627-112623-1i51ayk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=967&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/225066/original/file-20180627-112623-1i51ayk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=967&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Eye-watering stuff.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Marine Conservation Society UK</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Winning the war</h2>
<p>One of the most powerful campaigns in Australia in recent times has been the ABC documentary series <a href="http://www.abc.net.au/ourfocus/waronwaste">War On Waste</a>. Its success can be attributed to a clever mix of shocking information tempered with entertaining and engaging storylines; a lack of blaming and shaming of individuals (although some corporations and politicians have received their share); clear and tangible solutions that viewers can implement; and a feeling of collaborative empowerment. </p>
<p>In combination, these elements have had a <a href="http://www.abc.net.au/news/about/backstory/television/2017-07-03/backstory-war-on-waste/8664874">positive impact</a>, with the sale of reusable takeaway coffee cups rising sharply after the series aired. If my experience at my local supermarket is any guide, shoppers have taken the message about recycling soft plastics firmly to heart.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/225067/original/file-20180627-112641-dy4i2g.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/225067/original/file-20180627-112641-dy4i2g.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/225067/original/file-20180627-112641-dy4i2g.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/225067/original/file-20180627-112641-dy4i2g.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/225067/original/file-20180627-112641-dy4i2g.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/225067/original/file-20180627-112641-dy4i2g.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/225067/original/file-20180627-112641-dy4i2g.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/225067/original/file-20180627-112641-dy4i2g.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Soft plastic bins overflowing at Coles, Murwillumbah, June 2018.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Louise Moana Kolff</span>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Few people would argue against the reduction of plastic waste. Most people are ready and willing to change, and the agencies that are designing campaigns on the issue would do well to remember this. Positive encouragement and advice are preferable to fear, shame or shock tactics.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/98944/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Louise Moana Kolff does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Plastic bags will soon be gone from major supermarkets and many other shops too. Campaigns to reduce plastic even more should focus on positive advice, rather than shaming shoppers for their plastic use.Louise Moana Kolff, Lecturer, UNSW SydneyLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/861492017-10-24T19:05:27Z2017-10-24T19:05:27ZVictoria’s plastic bag ban: a good start, but we can do more<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/191515/original/file-20171024-20370-1keh65e.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C143%2C6000%2C2748&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">The Victorian government has a new proposal to ban plastic bags. What is it missing?</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://pixabay.com/en/tomato-plastic-bag-plastic-food-934921/">suvajit/pixabay</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>The Victorian government is <a href="https://www.premier.vic.gov.au/banning-single-use-plastic-shopping-bags/">proposing</a> to ban single-use lightweight plastic shopping bags.</p>
<p>First of all, for plastic bag devotees, don’t panic - there are alternatives such as paper, cloth and a range of other reusable bags (you can even use the cardboard cartons from the shop). For those who have been advocating for a ban, don’t relax - there is still more to be done.</p>
<p>While the details of the plan are still being discussed, it is good to see that the government has committed to consultation with businesses and the community. We can be assured that the government will not swap one issue for another - such as reducing the amount of plastic bags used for waste, only to increase the use of bin liners. We need to ensure that the alternatives proposed actually reduce environmental impact.</p>
<p>In fact, this is prime time for the government to take a step further. We can do much more than ban single-use plastic bags. We should expand the ban to cover more categories of plastic and actively move to manage waste and reduce plastic pollution.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/getting-rid-of-plastic-bags-a-windfall-for-supermarkets-but-it-wont-do-much-for-the-environment-81083">Getting rid of plastic bags: a windfall for supermarkets but it won't do much for the environment</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>Should the ban proceed, it will have one significant outcome. The three most common contaminants of the household recycling bin (representing 10-15% of the recycling stream, according to my own audits of kerbside recycling bins) will be banned:</p>
<ul>
<li>plastic bags with recyclables</li>
<li>plastic bags with general waste</li>
<li>empty plastic bags.</li>
</ul>
<p>But simply looking at the perceived issues associated with plastic bag disposal is not enough. We must also understand why people actually use plastic bags. What are their shopping habits? When do they shop? Have we considered tourists who buy groceries?</p>
<h2>Plastics ban is not enough</h2>
<p>Instead of just banning bags, we need to look at the issue of plastic in its broadest sense. On a recent trip to the supermarket, I estimated that almost 40% of the vegetables are wrapped in plastic packaging. Even if you wanted an alternative, sometimes there isn’t one. The packaging comes with the produce.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/191506/original/file-20171024-1722-18j1m0d.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/191506/original/file-20171024-1722-18j1m0d.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/191506/original/file-20171024-1722-18j1m0d.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/191506/original/file-20171024-1722-18j1m0d.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/191506/original/file-20171024-1722-18j1m0d.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/191506/original/file-20171024-1722-18j1m0d.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/191506/original/file-20171024-1722-18j1m0d.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/191506/original/file-20171024-1722-18j1m0d.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Excessive plastic packaging around groceries. Is it necessary?</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/144250214@N08/35437531972/in/photolist-VZuBCy-W3RATg-Tt3q4c-9MT74P-p9oD1q-WFTjb6-5ixen2-kCP7-8ro83g-eastzr-7yopQC-7xt1YL-jZjAhk-7oq9cQ-g7W2Q-sB7v3z-ndzqf1-jhZ2fq-mKvdtV-ne9ojN-7ki6Gq-q7gXZ7-e9AHJa-7yoqjU-6fqh2-sdMmvS-qqBN8y-bo99a-pE1vDZ-8MCUGP-7wXiRT-7yAhcT-7A3WNj-7wXjc6-R28A6N-8uUU8z-4JC5Yx-7zJ6FD-7ioe7x-oduquU-fBefDs-RQSy9j-poAA2d-cPAxJS-8QjSC7-8LQf9L-8FB2Sy-c1QPRs-nY3ZT4-8FHDna">Anna Gregory/flickr</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The Victorian government has <a href="http://www.news.com.au/technology/environment/conservation/nsw-now-the-only-state-which-is-not-banning-singleuse-plastic-bags/news-story/f1b115bb59aee39a6a4955c48b51d2b1">claimed</a> that it would be impractical to ban the packaging of fruit and vegetables. But why is it acceptable to focus only on the plastic in bags and not in other vessels? Packaging is another source of excess plastic that consumes resources and contributes significantly to landfill waste. Given that many foods (such as strawberries or tomatoes) are pre-packaged, shoppers will often buy more than they need and end up wasting food.</p>
<p>We have the perfect opportunity to address two significant issues at the same time. The question is: will we?</p>
<p>The <a href="https://engage.vic.gov.au/application/files/3215/0827/4648/FINAL_as_at_17102017_-_Reducing_the_impacts_of_plastics_on_the_Victorian_environment_-_join_the_discussion.pdf">Victoria government has acknowledged</a> that thicker, more durable plastic bags have a greater environmental impact. Yet according to the proposed policy, the banning of these bags may be optional. This is why any consultation process must encompass all types of plastic. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/191510/original/file-20171024-20352-10utl2d.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/191510/original/file-20171024-20352-10utl2d.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/191510/original/file-20171024-20352-10utl2d.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/191510/original/file-20171024-20352-10utl2d.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/191510/original/file-20171024-20352-10utl2d.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/191510/original/file-20171024-20352-10utl2d.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/191510/original/file-20171024-20352-10utl2d.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/191510/original/file-20171024-20352-10utl2d.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Is all this plastic really necessary?</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/144250214@N08/35437528092/in/photolist-VZuAtE-9e12Sw-8JbrPL-8nKPG3-Spowej-61LHN8-8HsKcQ-9GcSg7-X8USP3-9Gi36W-CcM7MU-jSumc-9Gf9yc-dmninM-9G9ooT-UdJFGC-CwBvvB-pg7hqh-9G9mNv-bmTE4R-9NAsCc-CjUT9K-9G9YnT-YwcsWi-CBB3js-CpT6s1-C14CWS-bmTMoB-bmUL4P-9GcgmU-9GcSos-BGwb76-9G9mEz-pxyVU1-9GcVWo-CpTdE7-BuFGMQ-ChCEAo-6DTpqg-9M2DUT-9NJybd-F2PhSD-aUWfT8-7PmNdv-puBac4-Snbkyh-bfcdq6-CpTWsA-VqmNRx-ChCuWo">Anna Gregroy/flickr</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>We have the opportunity to get it right and lead the way, and it is important that all views are heard. If you would like to have your say, the Victorian government has a <a href="https://engage.vic.gov.au/waste/plastic-pollution">survey</a> where comments can be provided. </p>
<h2>What we can learn from other programs</h2>
<p>When looking at programs that successfully changed our behaviour, such as “slip slop slap”, using seatbelts and reducing the road toll, promoting HIV awareness, and even litter prevention, we can identify several features that seem to be crucial to their success. They are:</p>
<ul>
<li>the program advised us exactly what to do and why</li>
<li>there were multiple different advertisements – but each focused on the same issue</li>
<li>different demographics were targeted, but with the same focus</li>
<li>the advertisements were provided in multiple formats at many locations.</li>
</ul>
<p>It will be important that any action undertaken includes an education program. It should inform consumers why this ban is happening and advise them what actions they can take.</p>
<p>Other policies that we can undertake include <a href="http://www.epa.sa.gov.au/environmental_info/container_deposit">container deposit legislation</a>. My audits of SA’s landfill rates, compared with those of other states without container deposit schemes, shows that these schemes significantly reduce the disposal of plastic waste to landfill.</p>
<p>These changes should be incorporated into the proposed ban of the plastic bags. We must learn from past policies to ensure we make a smooth transition away from disposable plastics. The government should be aware of the different shopping habits of our society to find a cost-effective yet sustainable solution to plastic packaging.</p>
<p>There are a lot of changes that we can make. It is not just limited to banning single-use plastic bags. We need to consider the bigger picture of plastic packaging so we can truly put a dent in retail waste.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/86149/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Trevor Thornton does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Victoria’s proposed ban on single-use plastic bags is a step forward, but what about all the other unnecessary packaging? A truly effective waste policy should offer a comprehensive plan for packaging.Trevor Thornton, Lecturer, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/809752017-07-20T17:57:53Z2017-07-20T17:57:53ZWhy adopting biodegradable plastic bags in Kenya may not work<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/178604/original/file-20170718-13250-17niczx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Adopting biodegradable bags will take a shift in mindset.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>There’s been a great deal of contention and <a href="https://theconversation.com/kenya-should-be-focused-on-recycling-not-banning-plastic-bags-79679">debate</a> in Kenya over what should be used to replace plastic bags following the country’s <a href="http://www.npr.org/2017/06/08/532022819/kenya-announces-ban-on-plastic-bags">announcement</a> that it’s banning them.</p>
<p>One possible substitute is biodegradable plastic bags. Over the last 25 years plastics that are easily biodegradable have increasingly been <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/26293585_Biodegradable_and_compostable_alternatives_to_plastics">seen as</a> a more environment-friendly alternative to conventional plastic packaging. Their use has <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2873018">slowly gained</a> prominence in a number of developed countries. </p>
<p>But, at the moment, a number of factors stand in the way of this approach being successful in Kenya. Two in particular stand out: Kenya’s biodegradable plastic bag sector isn’t ready to produce the range of bags currently available, and the distribution points – mainly supermarkets – don’t make sense for most Kenyans. <a href="http://edepot.wur.nl/239452">My research</a> found that only about 42.5% urban Kenyans shop in supermarkets. The majority shop in open air markets. </p>
<p>The country has been here before: <a href="http://edepot.wur.nl/239452">nearly</a> 10 years ago it set down rules about how thin bags had to be, and imposed a heavy excise duty. The effect wasn’t what the government had hoped for. Instead, high costs, poor performance, a lack of manufacturing capabilities and local perceptions have all prevented them from taking root. </p>
<p>If the biodegradable route is going to work the Kenyan government needs to do a lot more to support it. </p>
<h2>Kenya has been here before</h2>
<p>Biodegradable plastic bags have been on the scene in Kenya since 2008, when the government <a href="http://edepot.wur.nl/239452">imposed a ban</a> on the manufacture of bags less than 30 micron thick and instituted an excise duty of 120%. Due to concerted lobbying by the Kenya Association of Manufacturers, this ban was later abandoned. </p>
<p>While the initiatives were initially greeted with a lot of enthusiasm and excitement, it didn’t last. The impact on the packing industry was severe. Most producers couldn’t keep up with the change. Over time, <a href="http://pil.co.ke/">Packaging Industries Limited</a>, one of country’s main plastic bag producers, became the sole producer of biodegradable plastic bags to be used as shopping bags.</p>
<p>But the company could only produce three different bag sizes, sold between USD$0.5 and USD$1 per bag compared to the regular plastic bags that are given freely. <a href="http://edepot.wur.nl/239452">They were</a> supplied to just one retail outlet in Kenya. This is still the situation today. </p>
<p>The result was that the anticipated shift in favour of biodegradable plastic bags didn’t happen. </p>
<p>There are several reasons for this. </p>
<p>More than half of Kenya’s urban shoppers buy their food in open markets. Yet supermarkets are the only point of contact with consumers for biodegradable bags. Exposure to them has only been for a small percentage of consumers – those that shop at supermarkets and, in particular, those who shop at Kenya’s <a href="http://erepository.uonbi.ac.ke/bitstream/handle/11295/23014/Wanderi_Responses%20Of%20Plastic%20Bag%20Manufacturers%20And%20Key%20Supermarkets%20In%20Kenya%20To%20The%20Threats%20Posed%20By%20Plastic%20Bags%20Disposal.pdf?sequence=3">Nakumatt Holding</a>. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/178446/original/file-20170717-6052-1k4cb0s.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/178446/original/file-20170717-6052-1k4cb0s.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/178446/original/file-20170717-6052-1k4cb0s.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/178446/original/file-20170717-6052-1k4cb0s.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/178446/original/file-20170717-6052-1k4cb0s.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/178446/original/file-20170717-6052-1k4cb0s.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/178446/original/file-20170717-6052-1k4cb0s.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Only about 42.5% urban Kenyans shop in supermarkets. The majority shop in open air markets.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">AIDSVaccine</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Even among this cohort of shoppers, very few use biodegradable plastic bags. My research showed that only 1.6% of supermarket shoppers have ever bought a biodegradable plastic bag. </p>
<h2>Why?</h2>
<p>There could be several reasons for this low adoption. </p>
<p>The first is cost. Biodegradable plastic bags are expensive for most Kenyans. The cost of the smallest size bag <a href="http://edepot.wur.nl/239452">is equivalent</a> to a 400g piece of bread. The price is unlikely to come down as the government doesn’t set unit prices and production isn’t subsidised. </p>
<p>Secondly, choices are limited. The bags only come in three sizes which is very limiting for consumers. </p>
<p>Thirdly, their use would require a major change in shopping habits. This is a <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/222517870_Green_Consumption_or_Sustainable_Lifestyles_Identifying_the_Sustainable_Consumer">real barrier</a>. For example, my research showed that only 20% of the shoppers I interviewed remembered to carry an old bag for reuse on their next shopping trip. </p>
<p>Fourthly, there are concerns over the life span, or degradability, of the bags manufactured in Kenya. My <a href="http://edepot.wur.nl/239452">research</a> shows that local bags currently referred to as biodegradable, only degrade between 40%-60%, instead of completely, after 90 days of being subjected to composting. </p>
<p>Another factor getting in the way of uptake is that the production of biodegradable plastic is very low – across the world. Current global production is <a href="http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/15583720902834759?src=recsys">around</a> 350,000 tons – <a href="http://miller-klein.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/2007LandscapeforBiopolymers.pdf">less than</a> 0.2% of the production of petrochemical-based plastics. </p>
<p>One of the reasons for this is that biodegradable plastics are more expensive to produce because of the extra steps required in the process.</p>
<h2>What needs to be done</h2>
<p>The Kenyan government could take a number of steps to jump start the culture of using biodegradable plastic bag. These include: </p>
<ul>
<li><p>Channelling the money they’ve raised from the excise duty to support the development and research of alternatives, such as sisal bags. </p></li>
<li><p>Getting supermarkets to take more responsibility in increasing the use of biodegradable plastic bags.</p></li>
<li><p>Providing incentives, including tax rebates, to encourage more manufacturers to enter the sector. At the time of my study there was only one external supplier of raw material, one manufacturer and one retailer. </p></li>
<li><p>Offering free biodegradable bags to consumers at the initial stage to encourage their use.</p></li>
<li><p>Creating networks among governmental actors (for policy and technical support), producers, consumers and others such as lobby groups and the media. They need to work together to support and disseminate information about the bags</p></li>
<li><p>Developing the proper know-how. Research organisations and universities need to be part of this development by improving the quality of bags so that they can get their market and consumption niche.</p></li>
</ul>
<p>The steps needed to achieve these goals are huge. But Kenya needs to resolve these technical and economic issues before biodegradable plastics can be seen as a viable alternative.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/80975/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Leah Oyake-Ombis in the Managing Director of the Africa Livelihood Innovations for Sustainable Environment Consulting Group</span></em></p>High costs, poor performance, a lack of manufacturing capabilities and local perceptions prevent biodegradable bags from taking root in Kenya.Leah Oyake-Ombis, Part-time lecturer and Director of the Africa Livelihood Innovations for Sustainable Environment Consulting Group, University of NairobiLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/810832017-07-17T02:51:03Z2017-07-17T02:51:03ZGetting rid of plastic bags: a windfall for supermarkets but it won’t do much for the environment<p>Moves by major supermarkets to stop providing free plastic bags could earn these businesses more than A$1 million a year, but may only have a small impact on the environment. </p>
<p>Australia’s two supermarket giants, <a href="http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-07-14/woolworths-to-phase-out-plastic-bags-around-the-country/8709336">Woolworths and Coles</a>, have announced that their stores will stop offering their regular plastic bags within 12 months. Instead, customers will be able to buy a more durable plastic bag at 15 cents apiece, or simply bring their own.</p>
<p>These bags are factored into the cost of doing business for these supermarkets. There are costs beyond just the bags themselves, such as the costs associated with sourcing and negotiating with packaging suppliers, procuring them, shipping and warehousing them, and distributing them to stores only to then give them away.</p>
<p>Supermarket margins are already feeling the strain of price deflation. These businesses are generally <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-australian-supermarkets-continue-to-look-to-the-uk-for-leadership-71562">making less than 6c in the dollar</a>, so the opportunity to phase out this cost certainly makes good business sense. The table below provides an estimate of current costs.</p>
<p><strong>Estimated current costs</strong></p>
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<p>While retailers stand to pocket this saving, the switch to stronger, multi-use plastic bag brings with it its own costs. To begin with, the bags alone cost more (9c each) and also have associated procurement costs.</p>
<p>However, the new scheme will immediately reduce customers’ bag usage. Being optimistic, it would be reasonable to see an 80% decline in plastic bag use as shoppers actively search for alternatives to free bags. </p>
<p>Most shoppers will probably reuse the 15c bag, or look to other options like canvas bags, polyethylene bags or cardboard boxes. In turn, while the new re-usable bag may cost more than the thinner single-use bag, fewer will be used and therefore ordered. Retailers can expect to see a reduction in these packaging costs.</p>
<p><strong>Estimated costs under new scheme</strong></p>
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<p>It’s estimated that Australian retailers <a href="http://www.abc.net.au/science/features/bags/">give away 6 billion plastic bags each year</a>. Woolworths alone say they provide <a href="https://www.woolworthsgroup.com.au/page/media/Latest_News/woolworths-group-announces-move-away-from-single-use-lightweight-plastic-shopping-bags-nationwide/">3.2 billion each year</a>. Coles has not provided an estimate of bag use, but claim to process <a href="https://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=2&ved=0ahUKEwjsusHeyorVAhUDlpQKHX13BXkQFggqMAE&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.coles.com.au%2F%7E%2Fmedia%2Ffiles%2Fcoles%2Fpdfs%2F2016%2Fannual%2520report%2Fcoles_year_in_review_2016.pdf&usg=AFQjCNHXb44vuwMpb6jiosd7M-qSalqrgQ">21 million transactions each week</a>. With fewer stores than Woolworths, I estimate that Coles may give away up to 2.7 billion bags annually.</p>
<p>With each bag costing almost 3c, retailers stand to save more than A$170 million a year in direct costs. Selling these new bags at 15c each effectively creates another revenue stream potentially adding up to A$71 million in gross profit (6c x 1.18 billion units).</p>
<h2>It might not actually reduce bags</h2>
<p>In 2013, Target <a href="https://theconversation.com/targets-plastic-bag-backdown-a-loss-for-the-silent-majority-18794">reverted back to providing free plastic bags</a> after three years of charging 10c per bag. Other than hardware retailer Bunnings, no other large retailer has initiated a voluntary ban on single-use plastic bags. </p>
<p>Some Australian state and federal governments have been pushing for single-use plastic bag ban for almost 10 years. South Australia was the first to ban plastic bags from supermarkets in 2009, followed by the ACT in 2010, Northern Territory in 2011 and Tasmania in 2012. </p>
<p>In 2016 the Queensland Government <a href="https://cabinet.qld.gov.au/documents/2016/Jul/Pbags/Attachments/Paper.PDF">released a discussion paper</a> on the proposed ban. It is predicted all states will fall into line by mid-2018. </p>
<p>The past impact of applying a charge to the use of plastic bags has provided positive, but mixed results. In Australia, <a href="https://cabinet.qld.gov.au/documents/2016/Jul/Pbags/Attachments/Paper.PDF">Bunnings reported an 80% reduction</a> after implementing a charge for plastic bags, while a 2008 trial undertaken in three Victorian regional towns by Coles, Woolworths and IGA resulted in a 79% reduction. </p>
<p>In 2002, Ireland <a href="http://www.irishtimes.com/news/plastic-bag-levy-to-rise-to-22-cent-1.803547">applied a 15 pence (22c) charge</a> to single-use plastic bags, claiming a 90% reduction within 6 months (this was before the transition to the euro currency in the same year). Then in 2007 it increased the charge to 22 euro cents (32c) in response to increased bag usage. Sadly, shoppers had become conditioned to the 15p charge and returned to their old habits. </p>
<p>The UK government likewise reported an 85% reduction in single-use plastic bags in the first 6 months after <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/jul/30/england-plastic-bag-usage-drops-85-per-cent-since-5p-charged-introduced">a 5p charge (8c) was implemented</a> in 2015. Similar results have been reported in the US, with <a href="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/54d3a62be4b068e9347ca880/t/57dc50aae6f2e1bd882d91a2/1474056363151/Merged+Plastic+Bag+Impacts+and+Bag+Ban+Results.pdf">a 94% reduction</a> in Los Angeles County from the introduction of a charge for bags. </p>
<p>In the above cases (excluding Australian examples), single-use bags were still available, however a levy was applied, creating revenue for governments to channel back into environmental programs. This model is not the planned approach for Australia, were all single-use bags will be replaced with either the heavy duty (>35 micron, LDPE) option at 15c or the “green” polyethylene bag. </p>
<h2>Charging for bags has minimal impact on the environment</h2>
<p>Unfortunately, introducing a charge for bags doesn’t help the environment in isolation. While plastic bags represent only <a href="http://www.epa.nsw.gov.au/resources/waste/160143-plastic-shopping-bags-options.pdf">about 2% of landfill</a>, there is certainly <a href="https://www.csiro.au/en/Research/OandA/Areas/Marine-resources-and-industries/Marine-debris">sufficient scientific evidence</a> that plastic bags do present risks to marine life and clog waterways. </p>
<p>However, simply charging for a plastic bag, without directing these funds into environmental programs, does not necessarily resolve the problem. Shoppers slowly return to old habits, governments and retailers stop educating consumers and re-usable bags soon make their way into water ways and landfill. </p>
<p>Some shoppers simply forget to bring re-usable bags with them. The <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/goodlife/11773047/The-hidden-dangers-of-plastic-bags.html">UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs found</a> that the average UK household had 40 plastic bags stashed away around the home. Also a South Australian parliamentary review found that only about 30% of shoppers <a href="http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/south-australia/plastic-bag-use-still-rife-despite-south-australias-shopping-bag-ban/news-story/a02398d8295da04dcbe04b5343377186?sv=467d4722e2060125ce98c7a555a90d2f">actually recycled their re-usable bags</a>.</p>
<p>In the US, studies indicated 40% of shoppers continued to use disposable bags, <a href="https://theconversation.com/paper-or-plastic-how-disposable-bag-bans-fees-and-taxes-affect-consumer-behavior-48858">despite a 5 cent levy</a>.<br>
Moving to a reusable option also doesn’t stop people discarding these new bags either. <a href="http://www.austintexas.gov/edims/document.cfm?id=232679%20p20-21">Another US study</a> found many people still threw away reusable bags. </p>
<p>Ultimately, “banning the bag” is only the beginning. Retailers will need to remedy customer complaints as the phasing out of plastic bags begins.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/jul/30/england-plastic-bag-usage-drops-85-per-cent-since-5p-charged-introduced">Like UK retailers</a>, Australian supermarkets could choose to funnel some of the profits derived from the 15c reusable bag into community programs or environmental groups. Australian governments will also need fund ongoing education campaigns to draw attention to bans, alternatives and outcomes.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/81083/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Gary Mortimer does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Moves by major to supermarkets to only offer plastic bags for a charge could make these businesses more than a million dollars a year, but it may only have a small impact on the environment.Gary Mortimer, Associate Professor, Queensland University of TechnologyLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/796792017-07-04T14:41:57Z2017-07-04T14:41:57ZKenya should be focused on recycling, not banning plastic bags<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/176579/original/file-20170703-32612-16paa04.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Reusing and recycling of plastic waste makes more sense for Kenya than a ban.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Reuters/Luc Gnago</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Kenya recently <a href="http://www.npr.org/2017/06/08/532022819/kenya-announces-ban-on-plastic-bags">announced</a> a ban on one of the most common materials used in the country’s packaging sector - plastic bags. This <a href="https://www.coursehero.com/file/22124610/PRESS-STATEMENT-ON-TOTAL-BAN-ON-ALL-PLASTIC-BAGSpdf/">includes</a> the use, manufacture and importation of all plastic bags used for commercial and household packaging. </p>
<p>This isn’t the first time the East African nation <a href="https://www.economist.com/news/middle-east-and-africa/21719471-will-ban-make-kenya-cleaner-or-start-black-market-bags-kenya-tries">has tried</a> to do this and the directive comes about 10 years after the first attempt. That one failed, primarily because of a lack of consistent follow up on the agreed implementation plan.</p>
<p><a href="http://edepot.wur.nl/239452">My research</a> on the management of plastic waste in urban Kenya shows that this new ban is not realistic. The policy direction is not based on the local context or any extensive research regarding implications of the ban. It doesn’t consider the impact that it will have economically or give due consideration to other environmental alternatives.</p>
<h2>Kenya’s plastic bag industry</h2>
<p>Plastic materials offer a number of advantages over other conventional packaging materials. They are malleable, light, low cost and can be produced in a variety of shapes and sizes. Because of this, every year <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2873021/">over</a> 260 million tons of plastics are produced globally. Of this, <a href="http://www.earth-policy.org/images/uploads/press_room/Plastic_Bags.pdf">nearly</a> one trillion plastic bags are made and used. This makes them an important feature of the packaging sector. </p>
<p>Plastic bag manufacturing forms a <a href="https://searchworks.stanford.edu/view/6842718">sizeable</a> portion of the plastic manufacturing sector. It has a long history <a href="http://edepot.wur.nl/239452">dating back</a> to the 1930s. Today there are over 30 plastic bag manufacturers with a combined capital investment worth over USD$77.3million (Ksh5.8 billion). They <a href="http://edepot.wur.nl/239452">employ</a> up to 9,000 people, both directly and indirectly. Some 100 million plastic shopping bags are given out <a href="http://www.unep.org/newscentre/kenya-announces-breakthrough-ban-plastic-bags">every month</a> by supermarkets. This is a massive contribution to the plastics sector and to the country’s economy. </p>
<p>Plastic bags also have an extremely important role in the average person’s daily life as they stand out for their excellent fitness for use, resource efficiency and low price. For Kenya, where 56% of the population <a href="https://books.google.co.ke/books?id=JqvLm-ZRuP4C&pg=PA98&lpg=PA98&dq=Kenya+population+lives+%22less+than+a+dollar+a+day%22&source=bl&ots=W7kGAofuJD&sig=W8f6rnQrEfFHasCCztUghHMPYRg&hl=en&sa=X&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=Kenya%20population%20lives%20%22less%20than%20a%20dollar%20a%20day%22&f=false">live on less</a> than a dollar per day, plastic bags support the <a href="http://www.cofek.co.ke/index.php/news-and-media/1157-cnn-marketplace-africa-features-safaricom-ceo-bob-collymore?showall=1">“kidogo” economy</a> - synonymous with the majority. This economy is based on the small amounts people buy - for example one cup of cooking oil, or a handful of washing powder or squeeze of toothpaste. To take these home they need the small plastic bags. </p>
<h2>Pollution</h2>
<p>But because <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2873009/">plastic bags</a> are resistant to biodegradation, they cause long-term pollution to various natural environments from oceans to soil. Of the 4,000 tons of single use plastic bags <a href="http://www.businessdailyafrica.com/corporate/539550-634076-6lyh6uz/index.html">produced</a> each month, <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/223907734_The_urban_political_ecology_of_plastic_bag_waste_problem_in_Nairobi_Kenya">about</a> 2,000 tons end up in Kenya’s municipal waste streams. Half of these are lightweight bags with a thickness of less than 15 microns.</p>
<p>Because of these issues, a variety of policy measures can be introduced to manage plastic waste. These include a ban on the production of certain plastics, levying taxes, mandatory recycling targets and adoption of anti-plastic bag campaigns.</p>
<p>Kenya has chosen the path of a ban on use, manufacture and importation of all plastic bags used for commercial and household packaging. But my research shows that plastic waste recovery and recycling is a better strategy for sustainable plastic waste management. This is particularly true for developing economies because employment opportunities can be created within the recycling chain.</p>
<p>One option that won’t work is substituting plastic bags with biodegradable ones. First, the tear strength of biodegradable packaging bags <a href="http://scholar.google.com/citations?user=2-94vuoAAAAJ&hl=en">is low</a> compared to their petrochemical counter parts. They also have a <a href="http://scholar.google.com/citations?user=2-94vuoAAAAJ&hl=en">high rate</a> of water absorption. Most developing countries are also not equipped with the technological <a href="http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12132-008-9022-0">capacity</a> to produce biodegradable material. Lastly, they are still not cost effective. The cost of most bio plastic polymers <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/223768207_Potential_of_Biobased_Materials">fall in</a> the range of USD$2-5 per kg, compared to approximately USD$1.3 per kg for the usual petrochemical polymers. These factors make biodegradables a poor substitution.</p>
<p>Which is why the solution lies with plastic recovery and recycling. </p>
<h2>Recovery and recycling</h2>
<p>The reuse and recycling of plastic waste makes much more sense – particularly since Kenya <a href="http://soderbom.net/Kenya_manufacturing_ch10.pdf">doesn’t</a> have a petrochemical industry needed to <a href="http://www.petrochemistry.eu/about-petrochemistry/what-are-petrochemicals.html">make</a> plastic. Raw materials for the plastics and polythene industries are imported from overseas.</p>
<p>Plastic waste recycling is not a recent phenomenon in Kenya - it <a href="http://edepot.wur.nl/239452">dates back</a> to the 1960s. A 2001 survey <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/275773357_Managing_plastic_waste_in_East">showed</a> that over 90% of Kenya’s plastic manufacturing industries have internal reprocessing capacity for their own waste and rejects. </p>
<p>Trading in plastic waste <a href="http://edepot.wur.nl/239452">has been</a> practised in Kenya since the 1980s. Waste pickers and small-scale traders started to sell unprocessed plastic waste directly to plastic producers for use as a raw material in the manufacture of new plastic products.</p>
<p>This plastic waste collection, by informal actors, presents a more realistic and sustainable solution to plastic waste management in Kenya. The waste becomes a source of raw material for the production of plastic materials, creating an interdependent relationship between solid waste management systems and plastic production. </p>
<p>Kenya needs to create an integrated plastic waste management system. It already has three <a href="http://edepot.wur.nl/239452">well established</a> categories of plastic waste recycling industries. These need to be properly linked to plastic waste collection and separation chains. </p>
<p>It would need the support and coordination from government, industry and civil society at all levels. Including:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>Separating plastic waste from other waste streams and the further separation of various plastic materials for effective use of different polymer wastes in production.</p></li>
<li><p>The protection of waste pickers and those who add value including washing and sorting to plastic waste</p></li>
<li><p>The allocation of space for waste separation centres</p></li>
<li><p>Technological and financial support for waste processing</p></li>
<li><p>Education outreach programs </p></li>
<li><p>Plastic product marketing to popularise the diverse products</p></li>
<li><p>Introducing deposit and return systems in supermarkets </p></li>
<li><p>Improved transport logistics or plastic products and plastic waste so that such can reach their destinations in time.</p></li>
</ul>
<p>Kenya would be better off pursuing waste management strategies. These include waste separation and the development of rules that require plastic industries to take back certain quantities of plastic waste from the solid waste management system to enhance recycling.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/79679/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Leah Oyake-Ombis works for ALISE consulting Group as the Managing Director. </span></em></p>The plastic bag ban doesn’t consider the impact it will have on Kenya’s economy or consider other environmental alternatives.Leah Oyake-Ombis, Part-time lecturer and Director of the Africa Livelihood Innovations for Sustainable Environment Consulting Group, University of NairobiLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.