1) DEPLETION OF NATURAL RESOURCES

Usually made of polyethylene, a synthetic substance produced from natural gas and oil, plastic bags lead to the depletion of these non-renewable natural resources. It takes 12 million barrels of oil to produce the number of plastic bags the US uses each year. Can you imagine what it takes to produce all the plastic bags used around the world! While paper bags made from recycled paper help reduce the burden on natural resources and would also make better use of waste paper produced in many other industries.

2) ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARDS

Unlike paper bags, which are biodegradable, most polyethylene bags do not break or disintegrate easily. A plastic bag can take up to 1,000 years to break down on land and 450 years in water, while a paper bag breaks down in 3-6 weeks.

3) LESS THAN 1% OF PLASTIC BAGS ARE RECYCLED

The vast majority of plastic bags are not recycled, as it is cheaper to produce a new bag than to recycle a used one. An average person uses around 350 to 400 plastic bags per year. Approximately 100 billion new polyethylene bags are used each year in the United States alone. According to the Wall Street Journal, only 1% of these are recycled worldwide. You can imagine where all this used plastic goes! They usually end up in landfills or tossed aside only to become airborne or accumulate in bodies of water. In South Africa, plastic bags have been dubbed the “national flower” because so many can be seen waving from fences and caught in bushes.

4) DANGER TO OUR ANIMAL AND MARINE LIFE

Countless polythene bags end up in the oceans and harm our marine life. Many marine animals and birds ingest these bags by mistake or become entangled and drown in bags floating around. Environmentalists pointed out that turtles often mistake them for jellyfish and swallow them. It is estimated that 100,000 marine animals die each year due to plastic garbage that ends up in the North Pacific. Land animals also die from eating plastic. The plastic stays in their digestive system longer, so they stop eating and starve.

5) CHILD SAFETY

A report from the US Consumer Product Safety Commission notes that an average of 25 children die each year from suffocation on plastic bags. Most of these children are less than 12 months old. Plastic bags of all sizes pose a safety hazard to children, including grocery, garbage, dry cleaning and mattress covers, though many of them come with warnings, warning parents and caregivers that keep out of reach of children.

6) PLASTIC IS BACK IN OUR FOOD CHAIN

With over 1 million tons of plastic bags being produced and disposed of each year, and only around 1% being recycled, the rest of the plastic bags are found in our landfills and oceans. This plastic, which is being consumed by marine animals without knowing it, has in turn entered our food chain.

7) PLASTIC BAGS CLOG DRAINS AND RESULT IN FLOODING

On average, a plastic shipping bag is used for 12 minutes before being thrown away, after which it can last in the environment for centuries. In most countries where there is no strict enforcement of environmental regulations, plastic bags are a major eyesore. Easily carried by the wind, they hang from bushes, float in rivers, flutter on fences, and clog drains. This has led to blockage of drainage water, preventing free flow during heavy rains and leading to the flooding of several cities.

We must take care of our environment. Let’s commit to bringing our own shopping bags, if not at least insist on bringing a paper bag. Say no to plastic bags.