plastic bag

Plastic bag bans have been the subject of much debate in America recently as a number of states have taken on the challenge of finding solutions to the growing, unsightly problem of plastic pollution. In a thought provoking article featured on the New York Times, correspondent Elizabeth Rosenthal discusses the controversy surrounding banning plastic bags in New York City. For many other cities, such as Seattle, San Francisco, and Dublin, a bag ban or tax was a simple new measure to adapt to. With barely a bag in sight, Rosenthal writes, life goes on.

The European Union is still debating the implementation of a plastic bag ban, but that hasn't stopped Finland from starting the process of changing attitudes single use bags, Finnish broadcasting company YLE reports. According to an article published on Monday, Finland has seen a 30% increase in the sales of reusable bags in the past year, alongside a growing general disapproval of single use bags. The article shares the opinions of a few Finnish shoppers, whose strong opinions regarding the use of disposable plastic bags support the spike in reusable bag sales:

The state of Massachusetts may be the first state in the United States of America to ban plastic bags if legislation currently being debated is passed, according to a report from NACS Online yesterday. The Environment, Natural Resources, and Agriculture Committee had a hearing on the House and Senate's proposed plastic bag bans during which no members of the plastics lobby came forward to speak out against the two versions of the legislation. According to the article:

The California Grocers Association announced its support for a bill today which proposes banning plastic bags across the entire state -- a move which has given the bill a significant public boost. The bill, SB 405, was introduced by Senator Alex Padilla (D- Pacoima) and would prohibit single use plastic bags from being distributed in pharmacies and grocery stores beginning January 1st, 2015. According to a Los Angeles Times article written by Marc Lifsher, convenience and liquor stores would face the same requirements the following year.

An article from the BBC yesterday marked the beginning of Northern Ireland's new tax on plastic carrier bags, which has now officially come into effect. The tax mandates that retailers must charge 5 pence for each new, single-use carrier bag that is handed out in shops, and these funds are sent directly to the Department of the Environment. The Department hopes that the fee will discourage the use of plastic bags by 80%, but they have also applied the fee to paper and starch-based bags in an effort to promote the usage of reusable bags across the board. According to the article:

Louisiana may be the next state to join the plastic bag ban battle as Democratic representative Regina Barrow of Baton Rouge has proposed an amendment to the state constitution requiring a 5 cent charge on all single-use, disposable plastic bags. If successful in the legislature, House Bill 529 would then proceed to voters for a decision during the 2014 general elections in November. 

A plastic bag ban in Hawaii has been applauded as a success story in an article on West Hawaii Today, which shared that the recently instituted plastic bag ban has reduced plastic bag usage, with 80% of shoppers now bringing their own bags. Reporter Nancy Cook Lauer writes that staff surveys were conducted in supermarkets across West and East Hawaii, and the results showed a greater acceptance of the bag ban than on Maui or Kauai. According to the article, reusable bag usage was at just 13% before the ban's implementation, displaying a huge increase. Writes Lauer:

In a move which is unprecedented in the state of Hawaii, healthcare provider Kaiser Permanente has decided to do away with plastic bags, eliminating the bags dispensed to patients on a voluntary basis. Instead, environmentally friendly and biodegradable bags will be available upon request. In an article from Hawaii's KITV News, the company announced its pride in being a part of a movement to stop unnecessary plastic usage. 

In a new success story from the struggle against plastic bags, Whole Foods and IKEA have now announced that they are disowning the single-use bags alongside a number of other companies which have introduced schemes to eliminate waste from their stores. An article from GreenBiz authored by Alison Moodie comments on the move made by these two organizations, stating that:

In an uplifting news article posted by the Monterey County Weekly, it was announced that as of February 3rd, Carmel-by-the-Sea, California has joined neighboring Monterey in banning plastic bags. The article, written by Kera Abraham, states that Carmel's ocean side location was an important factor in instituting a ban, following the increase in plastic found on the beaches there. Abraham published a comment from Carmel Mayor Jason Burnett, who felt strongly about the ban's importance.