Annotated Bibliography On Plastic Bags
Phase-out of lightweight plastic bags
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Ambox current red.svg
This article is outdated. Please update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information. (July 2013)
Single-use plastic shopping bags are usually distributed (for free) to customers by stores when purchasing goods. It is a popular method that is practiced in many countries for being a strong, cheap, and hygienic way of transporting items. Lightweight bags are commonly made from high-density polyethylene (HDPE) plastic.[1]
Problems associated with plastic bags include use of non-renewable resources (such as crude oil, gas and coal),[2] disposal, and environmental impacts.
A car could drive about 11 metres on the amount …show more content…
of petroleum used to make a single plastic bag.[1] In Australia alone 6 billion HDPE bags were used in 2002.[1] Usage reduced to 5.6 billion in 2004,[2] and 3.9 billion in 2007.[1] Plastic bags can block drains, trap birds and kill livestock. The World Wide Fund for Nature has estimated that over 100,000 whales, seals, and turtles die every year[2] as a result of eating or being trapped by plastic bags. The term white pollution has been coined to describe the local and global effects of discarded plastic bags upon the environment.
Governments all over the world have taken action to either ban the sale of lightweight bags, charge customers for lightweight bags or generate taxes from the stores who sell them.[3] Major countries such as South Africa, China, Taiwan and Macedonia have a total ban on the bag.[3]
Contents [hide]
1 Issues
2 Regional developments
2.1 Africa
2.1.1 Mauritania
2.1.2 Kenya
2.1.3 Rwanda
2.1.4 South Africa
2.1.5 Tanzania
2.1.6 Uganda
2.2 Asia
2.2.1 Bangladesh
2.2.2 China
2.2.3 Hong Kong
2.2.4 India
2.2.5 Malaysia
2.2.6 Taiwan
2.3 Europe
2.3.1 Denmark
2.3.2 Germany
2.3.3 Ireland
2.3.4 Italy
2.3.5 United Kingdom
2.4 North America
2.4.1 United States
2.4.2 Canada
2.4.3 Mexico
2.5 Oceania
2.5.1 Australia
2.5.2 New Zealand
3 Alternatives
4 See also
5 References
6 External links
Issues[edit]
This section needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (July 2012)
Plastic waste on the mounds of garbage in the Philippines.
Plastic bags cause many minor and major issues in geographical terms. The most general issue with plastic bags is the amount of waste produced. Many plastic bags end up on streets and are aesthetically displeasing.[1]
When disposed of properly, they take many years to decompose and break down generating large amounts of garbage over long periods of time. If not disposed of properly the bags can pollute waterways, clog sewers and have been found in oceans affecting the habitat of animals and marine creatures.[1]
Lightweight plastic bags are also blown into trees and other plants and can be mistaken for flowers by animals affecting their diet.
Regional developments[edit]
Phase out of lightweight plastic bags around the world A full ban A partial ban A tax on some plastic bags
Africa[edit]
Mauritania[edit]
Mauritania banned the use, manufacture and import of plastic bags from January 2013 as a way to protect the environment, livestock, and marine species.[4]
Kenya[edit]
Kenya banned the manufacture and import of plastic bags from January 2011 as a way to protect the environment.[5]
Rwanda[edit]
Rwanda prohibited shops from giving away plastic bags to their customers in 2004.[6]
South Africa[edit]
Plastic bags were a major issue in South Africa before the ban. All lightweight plastic bags were banned in 2003 and thicker plastic bagged are taxed.[7]
Tanzania[edit]
The Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar banned plastic bags in 2005.[8] Tanzania introduced a nationwide ban on plastic bags in 2006.[9]
Uganda[edit]
Heap of trash including plastic bags in Kampala, Uganda
Uganda introduced legislation in 2007 to ban the sale of lightweight plastic bags under 30 µm thick and tax thicker bags at a punitive rate of 120%. Although the laws came into effect in September of that year,[10] they have not been enforced and have failed to measurably reduce the use of plastic bags.[11]
Asia[edit]
Bangladesh[edit]
A strict ban was introduced in Bangladesh in 2002 after the occurrence of floods from 1988 to 1998 that submerged two-thirds of the country in water. The cause was from littered plastic bags.[12]
China[edit]
A total plastic bag ban on ultra thin plastic bags and a fee on plastic bags was introduced in China on June 1, 2008. This came into effect because of the problems with sewerage and general waste. The country now uses over 50% fewer plastic bags saving roughly 40 billion a year.[13]
Hong Kong[edit]
Hong Kong forbids retailers from giving plastic bags under a certain thickness and for free.[3] The use of plastic bags dropped 90% after the introduction of the levy.[14]
A sign proclaiming that polythene bags thinner than 30 µm are prohibited in Kasaragod, Kerala, India.
India[edit]
In 2002, India banned the production of plastic bags below 20 µm in thickness to prevent plastic bags from clogging of the municipal drainage systems and to prevent the sacred cows of India ingesting plastic bags as they confuse it for food.[3][15] However, enforcement remains a problem.[16]
The state of Goa has banned bags up to 40 µm thick,[17] while the city of Mumbai bans bags below a minimum thickness to 50 µm.[18]
Malaysia[edit]
Malaysia enforce taxes on plastic bags on every Saturday since 2011 in state of Selangor.[19]
However, in Penang, taxes on plastic bags applies everyday.[20]
Taiwan[edit]
In January 2003, Taiwan banned the free distribution of lightweight plastic bags.[21] Many stores have replaced plastic with recycled paper boxes.[22]
Europe[edit]
Denmark[edit]
In 2003, Denmark introduced a tax to retails for giving out plastic bags. This encouraged stores to charge for plastic bags and pushed the use of reusable bags. It was thought that this saved about 66% of plastic and paper bags.[23]
Germany[edit]
All stores in Germany that provide plastic bags must pay a recycling tax.[citation needed]
Ireland[edit]
Ireland introduced a €0.15 tax in March 2002. Levied on consumers at the point of sale, this led to 90% of consumers using long-life bags within a year. The tax was increased to €0.22 in 2007. The revenue is put into an Environment Fund.[24]
Italy[edit]
In January 2011, Italy banned the distribution of plastic bags that are not from biodegradable sources.[25]
United Kingdom[edit]
Wales introduced a legal minimum charge of 5p for almost all single-use bags in October 2011. Paper and biodegradable bags are included in the charge as well as plastic bags, with only a few specific exemptions - such as for unpackaged food or medicine supplied on an NHS prescription. Monies raised from the charge are not collected by the Welsh Government, which instead asks retailers to pass proceeds on to environmental charities.[26]
Northern Ireland will phase in a very similar scheme of charging for bags during 2013 and 2014,[27] while Scotland launched a consultation on the matter in June 2012. July 2012 statistics released by the Welsh Government suggested that carrier bag-use in Wales had reduced since the introduction of the charge; meanwhile, England and Northern Ireland, countries where no such charge is imposed, experienced a rise in usage.[28]
Major supermarkets in the UK introduced "bags for life", reusable bags that customers are encouraged to use instead of disposable plastic bags. In 2010 research was published that showed the potential for such bags to be harmful to health if not cleaned regularly, with traces of E.coli and salmonella discovered by researchers from the University of Arizona.[29]
The London office of the Mother London design agency created novelty shopping bags as a deterrent against the use of plastic bags. The bag designs feature silhouettes of “embarrassing motifs”, such as drug paraphernalia and sex toys, to cause embarrassment to the user. Two series were released, one in 2005 and the other in 2013, but research has not been conducted in regard to the product 's efficacy.[30]
North America[edit]
United States[edit]
There is currently no national or state plastic bag tax or ban currently in effect in the United States, although several municipalities on the county and city level have enacted ordinances either imposing a sales tax on plastic bags or banning them outright. Because all of Hawaii 's local municipalities have banned plastic bags, it is the first state to technically have a state-wide plastic bag ban.[31] Other attempts at banning plastic shopping bags state-wide have occurred in California and Massachusetts, but they have not succeeded mainly due to plastic industry lobbying.[32] Other municipalities chose to implement a fee-only approach to bag reduction by imposing a tax or a fee, such as Washington, D.C. and adjacent Montgomery County, Maryland.[33]
State Municipality Jurisdictions covered Passage date Effective date Effect
Alaska Alaska
City of Bethel Bethel July 2009 September 2010 Plastic bag ban[34]
City of Homer Homer August 2012 January 2013 Plastic bag ban.[35]
City of Hooper Bay Hooper Bay August 2010
California California
Alameda County Alameda January 2012 January 2013 Plastic bag ban; 10 cent charge for paper bags.[36]
Albany
Berkeley, California
Dublin
Emeryville
Fremont
Hayward
Livermore
Oakland
Piedmont
Pleasanton
San Leandro
Union City
Unincorporated territories
City of Calabasas Calabasas February 2011 July 2011 Plastic bag ban; 10 cent charge for paper bags.[37]
City of Capitola Capitola January 2013 April 2013 Plastic bag ban; 25 cent charge for paper bags.[38]
City of Carmel-by-the-Sea Carmel-by-the-Sea July 2012 February 2013 Plastic bag ban; 10 cent charge for paper bags.[39]
City of Carpinteria Carpinteria March 2012 July 2012 Plastic bag ban; 10 cent charge for paper bags.[40]
City of Culver City Culver City May 2013 December 2013 Plastic bag ban; 10 cent charge for paper bags.[41]
City of Cupertino Cupertino March 2013 October 2013 Plastic bag ban; 10 cent charge for paper bags.[42]
City of Dana Point Dana Point March 2012 April 2013 Plastic bag ban.[43]
City of Fairfax Fairfax August 2007 November 2008 Plastic bag ban; 10 cent charge for paper bags.[44]
City of Fort Bragg Fort Bragg May 2012 December 2013 Plastic bag ban; 10 cent charge for paper bags.[45]
City of Glendale Glendale January 2013 July 2013 Plastic bag ban; 10 cent charge for paper bags.[46]
City of Huntington Beach Huntington Beach April 2013 November 2013 Plastic bag ban; 10 cent charge for paper bags.[47]
City of Laguna Beach Laguna Beach February 2012 January 2013 Plastic bag ban; 10 cent charge for paper bags.[48]
City of Long Beach Long Beach Plastic bag ban; 10 cent charge for paper bags.[49]
City of Los Angeles Los Angeles June 2013 January 2014 Plastic bag ban; 10 cent charge for paper bags.[50]
Los Angeles County Unincorporated territories November 2010 January 2012 Plastic bag ban; 10 cent minimum charge for paper bags.[51]
City of Malibu Malibu May 2008 May 2009 Plastic bag ban.[52]
City of Manhattan Beach Manhattan Beach July 2008 July 2011 Plastic bag ban.[53]
Marin County Unincorporated territories January 2011 January 2012 Plastic bag ban.[54]
Mendocino County Unincorporated territories June 2012 January 2013 Plastic bag ban; 10 cent charge for paper bags.[55]
City of Millbrae Millbrae February 2012 September 2012 Plastic bag ban; 10 cent charge for paper bags.[56]
City of Monterey Monterey December 2011 June 2012 Plastic bag ban; 25 cent charge for paper bags.[57]
City of Ojai Ojai April 2012 July 2012 Plastic bag ban; 10 cent charge for paper bags.[58]
City of Palo Alto Palo Alto September 2009 Paper bags required as check-out option. Large retailers banned from distributing plastic bags.[59]
May 2013 July 2013 Full plastic bag ban; 10 cent charge for paper bags.[60]
City of Pasadena Pasadena November 2011 July 2012 Plastic bag ban; 10 cent charge for paper bags.[61]
City of Richmond Richmond July 2013 January 2014 Plastic bag ban; 10 cent charge for paper bags.[62]
City of San Jose San Jose January 2011 January 2012 Plastic bag ban; 25 cent charge for paper bags.[63]
San Francisco City and County San Francisco April 2007 Limited plastic bag ban.
February 2012 October 2012 Expansion of ban to cover all retail stores in 2012 and all restaurants in 2013. 10 cent charge for paper bags.[64]
San Luis Obispo County Arroyo Grande January 2012 October 2012 Plastic bag ban; 10 cent charge for paper bags.[65]
Atascadero
Grover Beach
Morro Bay
Paso Robles
Pismo Beach
San Luis Obispo
Unincorporated territories
City of San Mateo San Mateo May 2013 June 2013 Plastic bag ban; 10 cent charge for paper bags.[66]
San Mateo County Belmont January 2013 April 2013 Plastic bag ban; 10 cent charge for paper bags.[67]
Brisbane March 2013
Burlingame
Campbell1 July 2013 January 2014
Colma January 2013 April 2013
Daly City
East Palo Alto April 2013 October 2013
Half Moon Bay March 2013 April 2013
Los Altos1 July 2013
Menlo Park January 2013 April 2013
Mountain View1 December 2012
Pacifica
Portola Valley January 2013
Redwood City March 2013 October 2013
San Bruno January 2013 April 2013
San Carlos March 2013 July 2013
South San Francisco December 2012 April 2013
Unincorporated territories November 2012
Santa Clara County Unincorporated territories April 2011 January 2012 Plastic bag ban; 10 cent charge for paper bags.[68]
City of Santa Cruz Santa Cruz July 2012 April 2013 Plastic bag ban; 10 cent charge for paper bags.[69]
Santa Cruz County Unincorporated territories September 2011 March 2012 Plastic bag ban; 10 cent charge for paper bags.[70]
October 2012 April 2013 Expansion of ban to restaurants.[71]
City of Santa Monica Santa Monica February 2011 September 2011 Plastic bag ban; 10 cent minimum charge for paper bags.[72]
City of Solana Beach Solana Beach May 2012 June 2012 Plastic bag ban; 10 cent charge for paper bags.[73]
City of Sunnyvale Sunnyvale December 2011 Plastic bag ban; 25 cent charge for paper bags.[74]
City of Ukiah Ukiah May 2012 February 2013 Plastic bag ban; 10 cent charge for paper bags.[75]
City of Watsonville Watsonville May 2012 June 2012 Plastic bag ban; 25 cent charge for paper bags.[76]
City of West Hollywood West Hollywood August 2012 February 2013 Plastic bag ban; 10 cent charge for paper bags.[77]
Colorado Colorado
City of Aspen Aspen October 2011 May 2012 Plastic bag ban for large retailers; 20 cent charge for paper bags.[78]
City of Boulder Boulder November 2012 July 2013 Plastic bag ban; 10 cent charge for paper bags.[79]
City of Carbondale Carbondale October 2011 May 2012 Plastic bag ban for large retailers; 20 cent charge for paper bags.[79]
Town of Telluride Telluride October 2010 March 2011 Plastic bag ban; 10 cent charge for paper bags.[80]
Connecticut Connecticut Town of Westport Westport September 2008 March 2009 Plastic bag ban. Defines acceptable "recyclable paper bag" alternatives.[81]
Washington, D.C. District of Columbia Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C. June 2009 August 2009 Minimum 5 cent fee for plastic bags.[82]
Hawaii Hawaii2
Hawaii County Unincorporated territories December 2011 January 2013 Plastic bag ban.[83]
Honolulu City and County Honolulu May 2012 July 2012 Plastic bag ban.[84]
Kauai County Unincorporated territories October 2009 January 2011 Plastic bag ban.[85]
Maui County Unincorporated territories August 2008 Plastic bag ban.[86]
Maryland Maryland Montgomery County Unincorporated territories May 2011 January 2012 Minimum 5 cent fee for plastic bags.[87]
Massachusetts Massachusetts Town of Brookline Brookline November 2012 December 2013 Plastic bag ban.[88]
New York New York
East Hampton Village East Hampton Village August 2011 February 2012 Plastic bag ban.[89]
Village of Mamaroneck Mamaroneck July 2012 January 2013 Plastic bag ban.[90]
City of Rye Rye December 2011 May 2012 Plastic bag ban.[91]
Town of Southampton Southampton April 2011 November 2011 Plastic bag ban.[92]
North Carolina North Carolina
Dare County Duck June 2009 October 1, 2010 Plastic bag ban. Paper bags must be at least 40% recycled.[93]
Kill Devil Hills
Kitty Hawk
Manteo
Nag 's Head
Southern Shores
Unincorporated territories
Currituck County Unincorporated territories
Hyde County Unincorporated territories
Oregon Oregon
City of Corvallis Corvallis July 2012 Plastic bag ban; 5 cent charge for paper bags.
City of Eugene Eugene October 2012 May 2013 Plastic bag ban; 5 cent charge for paper bags.
City of Portland Portland July 2011 October 2011 Plastic bag ban.[94]
Rhode Island Rhode Island Town of Barrington Barrington October 2012 January 2013 Plastic bag ban. Sunsets in January 2015.
Texas Texas
City of Austin Austin March 2012 March 2013 Plastic bag and paper bag ban.[95]
City of Brownsville Brownsville January 2011 $1 charge for plastic bags.
City of Fort Stockton Fort Stockton September 2011 Plastic bag ban.
City of South Padre Island South Padre Island January 2011 January 2012 Plastic bag ban.[96]
Washington (state) Washington
City of Bainbridge Island Bainbridge Island April 2012 November 2012 Plastic bag ban. 5 cent charge for paper bags.[97]
City of Bellingham Bellingham July 2011 July 2012 Plastic bag ban. 5 cent minimum charge for paper bags.[98]
City of Edmonds Edmonds July 2009 Plastic bag ban.
City of Issaquah Issaquah June 2012 March 2013 Plastic bag ban.[99]
City of Mukilteo Mukilteo December 2011 January 2013 Plastic bag ban.[100]
City of Olympia Olympia October 2013 July 2014 Plastic bag ban. 5 cent charge for paper bags.[101]
City of Port Townsend Port Townsend July 2012 November 2012 Plastic bag ban. 5 cent charge for paper bags.[102]
City of Seattle Seattle December 2011 July 2012 Plastic bag ban. Minimum 5 cent charge for paper bags.[103]
City of Shoreline Shoreline April 2013 February 2014 Plastic bag ban. 5 cent charge for paper bags.[104]
Thurston County Unincorporated territories September 2013 July 2014 Plastic bag ban.
5 cent charge for paper bags.[105]
City of Tumwater Tumwater September 2013 July 2014 Plastic bag ban. 5 cent charge for paper bags.[106]
Notes:
1 The San Mateo County Environmental Impact Report also studied six cities in neighboring Santa Clara County. Campbell, Los Altos, and Mountain View opted to join San Mateo County 's ordinance because of this.
2 Although the State of Hawaii does not ban plastic bags, all of its local jurisdictions do, effectively banning them statewide.
Canada[edit]
In Canada, the Toronto City Council voted to ban plastic bags, beginning January 1, 2013. Toronto city council voted on June 6, 2012, to ban plastic bags effective January 1, 2013, and to scrap the city 's five-cent bag fee starting July 1, 2012.[107] Industry groups have convinced city officials to include a grace period between January 1, 2013, and June 30, 2013, when no fines, only warnings, can be issued.[108] The bag ban and five cent fee (six cents with HST) have both been overturned as of November 28, 2012 and it 's up to individual retailers if they want to charge for plastic bags.[109] Most stores, with the exception of a few national retailers do not
charge.
Mexico[edit]
Mexico approved legislation to ban and fine plastic bags in August 2010. However, the legislation is not observed.[110] Plastic bags are one of Mexico 's biggest pollution problems.[111]
Oceania[edit]
Australia[edit]
Although the nation does not ban lightweight bags, the states of South Australia, Tasmania, and the ACT and Northern Territory, along with some cities have independently banned the bag. Coles Bay, Tasmania was the first location in Australia to ban the bag.[112] The introduction of the 'Zero Waste ' program in South Australia led to its lightweight bag ban in October 2008. It is estimated that 400 million bags are saved each year.[113]
New Zealand[edit]
The government has not implemented measures to significantly lower the amount of bags, but some independent retailers have taken the approach to charge for plastic bags. In Christchurch, a kerbside program has been established to collect bags on roads and parklands to be recycled.[114] As of 2011, Our Seas Our Future in Dunedin was campaigning to ban single use plastic bags.[115]
Alternatives[edit]
Most lightweight bags are made from high density polyethylene (HDPE). A reusable but generally short-lived alternative is bags made from thicker low density polyethylene (LDPE), which are more expensive to produce.[116] Bags can also be made from biodegradable materials that will generally break down quicker than HDPE. A common material is cornstarch.[117]
Non-disposable alternatives include traditional shopping bags such as the string bag, shopping trolleys (not supermarket trolleys, but a soft bag mounted on a frame with wheels and a handle), and rucksacks.
See also[edit]
Biodegradable bags
Sustainability
Waste management
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Ambox current red.svg
This article is outdated. Please update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information. (July 2013)
Single-use plastic shopping bags are usually distributed (for free) to customers by stores when purchasing goods. It is a popular method that is practiced in many countries for being a strong, cheap, and hygienic way of transporting items. Lightweight bags are commonly made from high-density polyethylene (HDPE) plastic.[1]
Problems associated with plastic bags include use of non-renewable resources (such as crude oil, gas and coal),[2] disposal, and environmental impacts.
A car could drive about 11 metres on the amount …show more content…
of petroleum used to make a single plastic bag.[1] In Australia alone 6 billion HDPE bags were used in 2002.[1] Usage reduced to 5.6 billion in 2004,[2] and 3.9 billion in 2007.[1] Plastic bags can block drains, trap birds and kill livestock. The World Wide Fund for Nature has estimated that over 100,000 whales, seals, and turtles die every year[2] as a result of eating or being trapped by plastic bags. The term white pollution has been coined to describe the local and global effects of discarded plastic bags upon the environment.
Governments all over the world have taken action to either ban the sale of lightweight bags, charge customers for lightweight bags or generate taxes from the stores who sell them.[3] Major countries such as South Africa, China, Taiwan and Macedonia have a total ban on the bag.[3]
Contents [hide]
1 Issues
2 Regional developments
2.1 Africa
2.1.1 Mauritania
2.1.2 Kenya
2.1.3 Rwanda
2.1.4 South Africa
2.1.5 Tanzania
2.1.6 Uganda
2.2 Asia
2.2.1 Bangladesh
2.2.2 China
2.2.3 Hong Kong
2.2.4 India
2.2.5 Malaysia
2.2.6 Taiwan
2.3 Europe
2.3.1 Denmark
2.3.2 Germany
2.3.3 Ireland
2.3.4 Italy
2.3.5 United Kingdom
2.4 North America
2.4.1 United States
2.4.2 Canada
2.4.3 Mexico
2.5 Oceania
2.5.1 Australia
2.5.2 New Zealand
3 Alternatives
4 See also
5 References
6 External links
Issues[edit]
This section needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (July 2012)
Plastic waste on the mounds of garbage in the Philippines.
Plastic bags cause many minor and major issues in geographical terms. The most general issue with plastic bags is the amount of waste produced. Many plastic bags end up on streets and are aesthetically displeasing.[1]
When disposed of properly, they take many years to decompose and break down generating large amounts of garbage over long periods of time. If not disposed of properly the bags can pollute waterways, clog sewers and have been found in oceans affecting the habitat of animals and marine creatures.[1]
Lightweight plastic bags are also blown into trees and other plants and can be mistaken for flowers by animals affecting their diet.
Regional developments[edit]
Phase out of lightweight plastic bags around the world A full ban A partial ban A tax on some plastic bags
Africa[edit]
Mauritania[edit]
Mauritania banned the use, manufacture and import of plastic bags from January 2013 as a way to protect the environment, livestock, and marine species.[4]
Kenya[edit]
Kenya banned the manufacture and import of plastic bags from January 2011 as a way to protect the environment.[5]
Rwanda[edit]
Rwanda prohibited shops from giving away plastic bags to their customers in 2004.[6]
South Africa[edit]
Plastic bags were a major issue in South Africa before the ban. All lightweight plastic bags were banned in 2003 and thicker plastic bagged are taxed.[7]
Tanzania[edit]
The Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar banned plastic bags in 2005.[8] Tanzania introduced a nationwide ban on plastic bags in 2006.[9]
Uganda[edit]
Heap of trash including plastic bags in Kampala, Uganda
Uganda introduced legislation in 2007 to ban the sale of lightweight plastic bags under 30 µm thick and tax thicker bags at a punitive rate of 120%. Although the laws came into effect in September of that year,[10] they have not been enforced and have failed to measurably reduce the use of plastic bags.[11]
Asia[edit]
Bangladesh[edit]
A strict ban was introduced in Bangladesh in 2002 after the occurrence of floods from 1988 to 1998 that submerged two-thirds of the country in water. The cause was from littered plastic bags.[12]
China[edit]
A total plastic bag ban on ultra thin plastic bags and a fee on plastic bags was introduced in China on June 1, 2008. This came into effect because of the problems with sewerage and general waste. The country now uses over 50% fewer plastic bags saving roughly 40 billion a year.[13]
Hong Kong[edit]
Hong Kong forbids retailers from giving plastic bags under a certain thickness and for free.[3] The use of plastic bags dropped 90% after the introduction of the levy.[14]
A sign proclaiming that polythene bags thinner than 30 µm are prohibited in Kasaragod, Kerala, India.
India[edit]
In 2002, India banned the production of plastic bags below 20 µm in thickness to prevent plastic bags from clogging of the municipal drainage systems and to prevent the sacred cows of India ingesting plastic bags as they confuse it for food.[3][15] However, enforcement remains a problem.[16]
The state of Goa has banned bags up to 40 µm thick,[17] while the city of Mumbai bans bags below a minimum thickness to 50 µm.[18]
Malaysia[edit]
Malaysia enforce taxes on plastic bags on every Saturday since 2011 in state of Selangor.[19]
However, in Penang, taxes on plastic bags applies everyday.[20]
Taiwan[edit]
In January 2003, Taiwan banned the free distribution of lightweight plastic bags.[21] Many stores have replaced plastic with recycled paper boxes.[22]
Europe[edit]
Denmark[edit]
In 2003, Denmark introduced a tax to retails for giving out plastic bags. This encouraged stores to charge for plastic bags and pushed the use of reusable bags. It was thought that this saved about 66% of plastic and paper bags.[23]
Germany[edit]
All stores in Germany that provide plastic bags must pay a recycling tax.[citation needed]
Ireland[edit]
Ireland introduced a €0.15 tax in March 2002. Levied on consumers at the point of sale, this led to 90% of consumers using long-life bags within a year. The tax was increased to €0.22 in 2007. The revenue is put into an Environment Fund.[24]
Italy[edit]
In January 2011, Italy banned the distribution of plastic bags that are not from biodegradable sources.[25]
United Kingdom[edit]
Wales introduced a legal minimum charge of 5p for almost all single-use bags in October 2011. Paper and biodegradable bags are included in the charge as well as plastic bags, with only a few specific exemptions - such as for unpackaged food or medicine supplied on an NHS prescription. Monies raised from the charge are not collected by the Welsh Government, which instead asks retailers to pass proceeds on to environmental charities.[26]
Northern Ireland will phase in a very similar scheme of charging for bags during 2013 and 2014,[27] while Scotland launched a consultation on the matter in June 2012. July 2012 statistics released by the Welsh Government suggested that carrier bag-use in Wales had reduced since the introduction of the charge; meanwhile, England and Northern Ireland, countries where no such charge is imposed, experienced a rise in usage.[28]
Major supermarkets in the UK introduced "bags for life", reusable bags that customers are encouraged to use instead of disposable plastic bags. In 2010 research was published that showed the potential for such bags to be harmful to health if not cleaned regularly, with traces of E.coli and salmonella discovered by researchers from the University of Arizona.[29]
The London office of the Mother London design agency created novelty shopping bags as a deterrent against the use of plastic bags. The bag designs feature silhouettes of “embarrassing motifs”, such as drug paraphernalia and sex toys, to cause embarrassment to the user. Two series were released, one in 2005 and the other in 2013, but research has not been conducted in regard to the product 's efficacy.[30]
North America[edit]
United States[edit]
There is currently no national or state plastic bag tax or ban currently in effect in the United States, although several municipalities on the county and city level have enacted ordinances either imposing a sales tax on plastic bags or banning them outright. Because all of Hawaii 's local municipalities have banned plastic bags, it is the first state to technically have a state-wide plastic bag ban.[31] Other attempts at banning plastic shopping bags state-wide have occurred in California and Massachusetts, but they have not succeeded mainly due to plastic industry lobbying.[32] Other municipalities chose to implement a fee-only approach to bag reduction by imposing a tax or a fee, such as Washington, D.C. and adjacent Montgomery County, Maryland.[33]
State Municipality Jurisdictions covered Passage date Effective date Effect
Alaska Alaska
City of Bethel Bethel July 2009 September 2010 Plastic bag ban[34]
City of Homer Homer August 2012 January 2013 Plastic bag ban.[35]
City of Hooper Bay Hooper Bay August 2010
California California
Alameda County Alameda January 2012 January 2013 Plastic bag ban; 10 cent charge for paper bags.[36]
Albany
Berkeley, California
Dublin
Emeryville
Fremont
Hayward
Livermore
Oakland
Piedmont
Pleasanton
San Leandro
Union City
Unincorporated territories
City of Calabasas Calabasas February 2011 July 2011 Plastic bag ban; 10 cent charge for paper bags.[37]
City of Capitola Capitola January 2013 April 2013 Plastic bag ban; 25 cent charge for paper bags.[38]
City of Carmel-by-the-Sea Carmel-by-the-Sea July 2012 February 2013 Plastic bag ban; 10 cent charge for paper bags.[39]
City of Carpinteria Carpinteria March 2012 July 2012 Plastic bag ban; 10 cent charge for paper bags.[40]
City of Culver City Culver City May 2013 December 2013 Plastic bag ban; 10 cent charge for paper bags.[41]
City of Cupertino Cupertino March 2013 October 2013 Plastic bag ban; 10 cent charge for paper bags.[42]
City of Dana Point Dana Point March 2012 April 2013 Plastic bag ban.[43]
City of Fairfax Fairfax August 2007 November 2008 Plastic bag ban; 10 cent charge for paper bags.[44]
City of Fort Bragg Fort Bragg May 2012 December 2013 Plastic bag ban; 10 cent charge for paper bags.[45]
City of Glendale Glendale January 2013 July 2013 Plastic bag ban; 10 cent charge for paper bags.[46]
City of Huntington Beach Huntington Beach April 2013 November 2013 Plastic bag ban; 10 cent charge for paper bags.[47]
City of Laguna Beach Laguna Beach February 2012 January 2013 Plastic bag ban; 10 cent charge for paper bags.[48]
City of Long Beach Long Beach Plastic bag ban; 10 cent charge for paper bags.[49]
City of Los Angeles Los Angeles June 2013 January 2014 Plastic bag ban; 10 cent charge for paper bags.[50]
Los Angeles County Unincorporated territories November 2010 January 2012 Plastic bag ban; 10 cent minimum charge for paper bags.[51]
City of Malibu Malibu May 2008 May 2009 Plastic bag ban.[52]
City of Manhattan Beach Manhattan Beach July 2008 July 2011 Plastic bag ban.[53]
Marin County Unincorporated territories January 2011 January 2012 Plastic bag ban.[54]
Mendocino County Unincorporated territories June 2012 January 2013 Plastic bag ban; 10 cent charge for paper bags.[55]
City of Millbrae Millbrae February 2012 September 2012 Plastic bag ban; 10 cent charge for paper bags.[56]
City of Monterey Monterey December 2011 June 2012 Plastic bag ban; 25 cent charge for paper bags.[57]
City of Ojai Ojai April 2012 July 2012 Plastic bag ban; 10 cent charge for paper bags.[58]
City of Palo Alto Palo Alto September 2009 Paper bags required as check-out option. Large retailers banned from distributing plastic bags.[59]
May 2013 July 2013 Full plastic bag ban; 10 cent charge for paper bags.[60]
City of Pasadena Pasadena November 2011 July 2012 Plastic bag ban; 10 cent charge for paper bags.[61]
City of Richmond Richmond July 2013 January 2014 Plastic bag ban; 10 cent charge for paper bags.[62]
City of San Jose San Jose January 2011 January 2012 Plastic bag ban; 25 cent charge for paper bags.[63]
San Francisco City and County San Francisco April 2007 Limited plastic bag ban.
February 2012 October 2012 Expansion of ban to cover all retail stores in 2012 and all restaurants in 2013. 10 cent charge for paper bags.[64]
San Luis Obispo County Arroyo Grande January 2012 October 2012 Plastic bag ban; 10 cent charge for paper bags.[65]
Atascadero
Grover Beach
Morro Bay
Paso Robles
Pismo Beach
San Luis Obispo
Unincorporated territories
City of San Mateo San Mateo May 2013 June 2013 Plastic bag ban; 10 cent charge for paper bags.[66]
San Mateo County Belmont January 2013 April 2013 Plastic bag ban; 10 cent charge for paper bags.[67]
Brisbane March 2013
Burlingame
Campbell1 July 2013 January 2014
Colma January 2013 April 2013
Daly City
East Palo Alto April 2013 October 2013
Half Moon Bay March 2013 April 2013
Los Altos1 July 2013
Menlo Park January 2013 April 2013
Mountain View1 December 2012
Pacifica
Portola Valley January 2013
Redwood City March 2013 October 2013
San Bruno January 2013 April 2013
San Carlos March 2013 July 2013
South San Francisco December 2012 April 2013
Unincorporated territories November 2012
Santa Clara County Unincorporated territories April 2011 January 2012 Plastic bag ban; 10 cent charge for paper bags.[68]
City of Santa Cruz Santa Cruz July 2012 April 2013 Plastic bag ban; 10 cent charge for paper bags.[69]
Santa Cruz County Unincorporated territories September 2011 March 2012 Plastic bag ban; 10 cent charge for paper bags.[70]
October 2012 April 2013 Expansion of ban to restaurants.[71]
City of Santa Monica Santa Monica February 2011 September 2011 Plastic bag ban; 10 cent minimum charge for paper bags.[72]
City of Solana Beach Solana Beach May 2012 June 2012 Plastic bag ban; 10 cent charge for paper bags.[73]
City of Sunnyvale Sunnyvale December 2011 Plastic bag ban; 25 cent charge for paper bags.[74]
City of Ukiah Ukiah May 2012 February 2013 Plastic bag ban; 10 cent charge for paper bags.[75]
City of Watsonville Watsonville May 2012 June 2012 Plastic bag ban; 25 cent charge for paper bags.[76]
City of West Hollywood West Hollywood August 2012 February 2013 Plastic bag ban; 10 cent charge for paper bags.[77]
Colorado Colorado
City of Aspen Aspen October 2011 May 2012 Plastic bag ban for large retailers; 20 cent charge for paper bags.[78]
City of Boulder Boulder November 2012 July 2013 Plastic bag ban; 10 cent charge for paper bags.[79]
City of Carbondale Carbondale October 2011 May 2012 Plastic bag ban for large retailers; 20 cent charge for paper bags.[79]
Town of Telluride Telluride October 2010 March 2011 Plastic bag ban; 10 cent charge for paper bags.[80]
Connecticut Connecticut Town of Westport Westport September 2008 March 2009 Plastic bag ban. Defines acceptable "recyclable paper bag" alternatives.[81]
Washington, D.C. District of Columbia Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C. June 2009 August 2009 Minimum 5 cent fee for plastic bags.[82]
Hawaii Hawaii2
Hawaii County Unincorporated territories December 2011 January 2013 Plastic bag ban.[83]
Honolulu City and County Honolulu May 2012 July 2012 Plastic bag ban.[84]
Kauai County Unincorporated territories October 2009 January 2011 Plastic bag ban.[85]
Maui County Unincorporated territories August 2008 Plastic bag ban.[86]
Maryland Maryland Montgomery County Unincorporated territories May 2011 January 2012 Minimum 5 cent fee for plastic bags.[87]
Massachusetts Massachusetts Town of Brookline Brookline November 2012 December 2013 Plastic bag ban.[88]
New York New York
East Hampton Village East Hampton Village August 2011 February 2012 Plastic bag ban.[89]
Village of Mamaroneck Mamaroneck July 2012 January 2013 Plastic bag ban.[90]
City of Rye Rye December 2011 May 2012 Plastic bag ban.[91]
Town of Southampton Southampton April 2011 November 2011 Plastic bag ban.[92]
North Carolina North Carolina
Dare County Duck June 2009 October 1, 2010 Plastic bag ban. Paper bags must be at least 40% recycled.[93]
Kill Devil Hills
Kitty Hawk
Manteo
Nag 's Head
Southern Shores
Unincorporated territories
Currituck County Unincorporated territories
Hyde County Unincorporated territories
Oregon Oregon
City of Corvallis Corvallis July 2012 Plastic bag ban; 5 cent charge for paper bags.
City of Eugene Eugene October 2012 May 2013 Plastic bag ban; 5 cent charge for paper bags.
City of Portland Portland July 2011 October 2011 Plastic bag ban.[94]
Rhode Island Rhode Island Town of Barrington Barrington October 2012 January 2013 Plastic bag ban. Sunsets in January 2015.
Texas Texas
City of Austin Austin March 2012 March 2013 Plastic bag and paper bag ban.[95]
City of Brownsville Brownsville January 2011 $1 charge for plastic bags.
City of Fort Stockton Fort Stockton September 2011 Plastic bag ban.
City of South Padre Island South Padre Island January 2011 January 2012 Plastic bag ban.[96]
Washington (state) Washington
City of Bainbridge Island Bainbridge Island April 2012 November 2012 Plastic bag ban. 5 cent charge for paper bags.[97]
City of Bellingham Bellingham July 2011 July 2012 Plastic bag ban. 5 cent minimum charge for paper bags.[98]
City of Edmonds Edmonds July 2009 Plastic bag ban.
City of Issaquah Issaquah June 2012 March 2013 Plastic bag ban.[99]
City of Mukilteo Mukilteo December 2011 January 2013 Plastic bag ban.[100]
City of Olympia Olympia October 2013 July 2014 Plastic bag ban. 5 cent charge for paper bags.[101]
City of Port Townsend Port Townsend July 2012 November 2012 Plastic bag ban. 5 cent charge for paper bags.[102]
City of Seattle Seattle December 2011 July 2012 Plastic bag ban. Minimum 5 cent charge for paper bags.[103]
City of Shoreline Shoreline April 2013 February 2014 Plastic bag ban. 5 cent charge for paper bags.[104]
Thurston County Unincorporated territories September 2013 July 2014 Plastic bag ban.
5 cent charge for paper bags.[105]
City of Tumwater Tumwater September 2013 July 2014 Plastic bag ban. 5 cent charge for paper bags.[106]
Notes:
1 The San Mateo County Environmental Impact Report also studied six cities in neighboring Santa Clara County. Campbell, Los Altos, and Mountain View opted to join San Mateo County 's ordinance because of this.
2 Although the State of Hawaii does not ban plastic bags, all of its local jurisdictions do, effectively banning them statewide.
Canada[edit]
In Canada, the Toronto City Council voted to ban plastic bags, beginning January 1, 2013. Toronto city council voted on June 6, 2012, to ban plastic bags effective January 1, 2013, and to scrap the city 's five-cent bag fee starting July 1, 2012.[107] Industry groups have convinced city officials to include a grace period between January 1, 2013, and June 30, 2013, when no fines, only warnings, can be issued.[108] The bag ban and five cent fee (six cents with HST) have both been overturned as of November 28, 2012 and it 's up to individual retailers if they want to charge for plastic bags.[109] Most stores, with the exception of a few national retailers do not
charge.
Mexico[edit]
Mexico approved legislation to ban and fine plastic bags in August 2010. However, the legislation is not observed.[110] Plastic bags are one of Mexico 's biggest pollution problems.[111]
Oceania[edit]
Australia[edit]
Although the nation does not ban lightweight bags, the states of South Australia, Tasmania, and the ACT and Northern Territory, along with some cities have independently banned the bag. Coles Bay, Tasmania was the first location in Australia to ban the bag.[112] The introduction of the 'Zero Waste ' program in South Australia led to its lightweight bag ban in October 2008. It is estimated that 400 million bags are saved each year.[113]
New Zealand[edit]
The government has not implemented measures to significantly lower the amount of bags, but some independent retailers have taken the approach to charge for plastic bags. In Christchurch, a kerbside program has been established to collect bags on roads and parklands to be recycled.[114] As of 2011, Our Seas Our Future in Dunedin was campaigning to ban single use plastic bags.[115]
Alternatives[edit]
Most lightweight bags are made from high density polyethylene (HDPE). A reusable but generally short-lived alternative is bags made from thicker low density polyethylene (LDPE), which are more expensive to produce.[116] Bags can also be made from biodegradable materials that will generally break down quicker than HDPE. A common material is cornstarch.[117]
Non-disposable alternatives include traditional shopping bags such as the string bag, shopping trolleys (not supermarket trolleys, but a soft bag mounted on a frame with wheels and a handle), and rucksacks.
See also[edit]
Biodegradable bags
Sustainability
Waste management