Plastic bag litter is mobile and harmful.Oregon was one of the first states to enact a bottle bill [0]. In 1990, Portland was one of the first cities to ban the use of Styrofoam [1] cups and serving containers.
These were forward-thinking initiatives that partnered individual and industry actions to help the environment and prevent litter.
With more than a billion plastic bags given away [2] daily, some experts say that plastic shopping bags [3]are now one of the biggest sources of litter [4] in urban areas. Empty bags carried on the wind are popularly known as "urban tumbleweed" and often wash to waterways [5] and sewage systems. Plastic shopping bags do not readily biodegrade in landfills and require great amounts of energy [6] to produce and recycle. Only 1 to 3% of plastic bags are recycled; the recycling of plastic bags is an
[6]Bags in our landfill never degrade and tax our environmnet. expensive process complicated by sorting requirements and toxic chemical contamination.
How do plastic bags compare to paper bags? The plastic or paper dilemma [7] is not easily resolved. Although plastic requires less energy to produce than paper, plastic is derived from petroleum, a nonrenewable resource [8]. Plastic bag consumption increases our dependency on oil and foreign oil supplies. Just 14 plastic shopping bags contain enough embodied petroleum energy [9] to drive a car 1 mile.
Paper production requires more resources (trees, water, energy) and takes up valuable space in landfills. Although paper can be biodegradable, typical landfills lack the water, light, and oxygen required for the degradation process. Paper bag consumption contributes to global warming as trees are cut down and greenhouses gases are emitted in the production process. Although more paper bags are recylced than plastic, paper requires 91% more energy [10] to recycle per pound. A study of the factors affecting a decision between paper or plastic has led many to conclude that reusable bags may be the best option. Reusable bags can last a lifetime and eliminate the waste associated with disposable bags, which may never go away or degrade.
[10]This Home Depot bag will survive everyone living on the planet right now.According to news reports, plastic shopping bags were outlawed in South Africa [11] in 2003, they are banned in Bangladesh and Taiwan. Ireland [12] imposed a 19-cent per bag tax five years ago, and reduced plastic bag consumption 90 percent. And a ban on the plastic sacks goes into effect later this year in Paris [13]; they are outlawed in all of France starting Jan. 1, 2010.
This week San Francisco's Board of Supervisors [14]voted to ban non-biodegradable plastic shopping bags. What will the bags be replaced with? In San Francisco, the ordinance would require stores to use bags made of out recyclable paper; biodegradable plastic bags [15]; or to provide sturdy reusable bags made of canvas or heavier plastic.
Megan Pollock and I have been researching this issue for several months. While we are consulting with stakeholders to gather information on this issue, Sam would like to hear from you.
When it comes to non-decomposable plastic shopping bags, should we:
- Stick to the way things are now but ask retailers to ramp up their voluntary efforts to reduce their use?
- Enact a ban and only allow the use of biodegradable plastic bags or paper bags?
- Allow the use of plastic and paper but impose a tax on them and use the proceeds for good environmental works and reducing bag use?
- Or, do you have another idea to tackle the issue?
According to reports on National Public Radio (NPR) [16], San Francisco County Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi [17] pushed to banish the bags from the city once and for all. He said, "What it takes in petroleum use to make these polyethylene plastic bags, and the cost to discard these bags, begs the larger question: what are we going to do about the hazards and the environmental adverse effects of these plastic bags?" Mirkarimi's proposal passed last Tuesday and called on grocers to use recyclable paper, plastic that can be composted or re-usable bags.
But according to the news report, the proposal is vigorously opposed by the grocery industry. Peter Larkin, president of the California Grocers Association [18], says his member stores already have an active plastic-bag recycling program.
"In our opinion, it will frustrate our efforts to continue to reduce, re-use and recycle carry-out bags," Larkin said. "Second, it will raise the cost of doing business for us, which will translate into increased costs for the consumers. It may unintentionally lead to the use of paper bags only, which ... would increase waste."
NPR reports that, the grocers and the city have been at odds since 2005 when officials first proposed a 17-cent tax on every plastic bag. That's when the grocers agreed to voluntarily cut back. But Mirkarimi says the program failed. "Their heart wasn't in it and they did a very lackluster job and frankly they didn't live up to the terms of the agreement," he said."We think it was a wild success, and I again do not understand why they say we did not live up to our side of the bargain," Larkin said. "That is just false."
We look forward to receiving your comments.
Media Mentions
Paper or Plastic? Willamette Week April 11, 2006 [18]
Business Journal Poll on Plastic Bags [19]
KOIN 6 Video [20]
FOX 12 Video [21]
Portland To Ban Plastic Bags? Portland Business Journal April 5, 2007 [21]
Adams May Propose Banning Plastic Bags Portland Business Journal April 5, 2007 [21] [21]