Are You Fully Aware of Plastic Bag Bans All Around the World?

You must be aware that plastic bags are considered to be producing plenty of adverse effects not only on our environment, but on our economy too. If the whole world unanimously decides to reduce the use of plastic bags then it is possible to reduce its harsh effects on:

• Forests
• Lakes
• Oceans
• Rivers
• Wildlife

Although theoretically plastic bags are recyclable however practically most of these plastic bags are never recycled, but they get scattered everywhere and as a result, it puts a great amount of pressure on landfills and waste management.

As per the data available, each year, about 100,000 marine creatures die due to plastic entanglement. Also around one million sea birds die due to plastic. The following are 4 ways these plastic bags can harm our environment and also our wallet:

1. Plastic packaging can clog city sewer systems, which may lead to flooding. Leftover plastic goods may create a breeding ground for flies and mosquitoes and may leach toxic additives like styrene and benzene as they decompose.
2. Plastic bags may end up in landfills, where they will be either burned or buried. Towns, cities, and all businesses pay around $80 per ton for this.
3. Plastic bags are very dangerous to sea life creatures. Fish and other marine life may eat plastic bags thinking as food. A study found 25% of all fish sold in the market contain some kind of plastic debris.
4. Plastic bags do not come free. The retailers pay for these bags and the cost is then passed on to consumers.

Custom Earth Promos has therefore come out with their environment friendly printed grocery bags that are nowadays used by various companies as a marketing promotion tools. That is to convey a “green” message to all their customers.

Why plastic pollution still continues

The most important reason why plastic pollution is still prevalent is that regulation for plastic bags is very uneven worldwide and many loopholes exist. Few other reasons for such inefficient regulations for plastic bags are because of the following:

1. Many Countries do not regulate plastic

So far only 55 countries of the world comprehensively restrict distribution of retail plastic bag together with restrictions on:

• Imports
• Manufacturing
• Production

1. Most countries prefer only partial bans

Only 89 countries have supported partial bans over full bans. The partial bans just include bag composition or thickness specification.

1. Only one country restrict the production of plastic bags

So far there is only a single country, Cape Verde has explicitly imposed a ban on the production of plastic bags.

1. There are numerous exemptions

Out of 91 countries that banned plastic bags, 25 have several exemptions like:

• Carrying small retail items
• Handling/transporting of fresh food or perishable items
• Plastic bags for national security, export or agricultural uses
• Use for medical/scientific research
• Waste/garbage disposal or storage

1. No incentives offered for single-use plastic bag

Most governments fail to offer any subsidies for bags that you can reuse. They also do not need recycled content usage for biodegradable plastic shopping bags.