China to Ban Plastic Bags Starting in June 2008
Jan 21st, 2008 | By andy | Category: MISC
China taking a lead from other countries plans to ban use of ultra thin plastic bags starting June 2008. Under the new rule shops can still use more durable plastic bags, but will be required to charge shoppers for them.
Chinese Government is urging shoppers to turn to cloth bags and shopping baskets to reduce the use of plastic. China is one of the leading consumers of plastic bags. China uses three billion plastic bags a day and the country has to refine 37 million barrels of crude oil every year to make plastics used for packaging.
Starting in June, shops, supermarkets and sales outlets are forbidden to give away free plastic bags and all carriers must be marked with their prices. Plastic bags are a scourge on the planet and a plastic bag takes 400 to 1,000 years to decompose in landfill sites, they are regarded as one the most unfriendly options for green communities.
Plastic bag litter degrades water quality and harms wildlife. Hong Kong now has a bill to impose a levy on plastic bags while Bangladesh, was the first large country to ban bags. Now at least 40 countries and many cities across world have either imposed or are considering, the bans on plastic bags.
This is such a good news. Even though I use plastic bags everyday this will be great for the environment. When Ikea started to charge for plastic bags, I thought they were crazy! But now my opinion about them changed completely and I love carrying my stuff out without any bags. I need to start bringing my own bags to the grocery stores. Who’s with me?
I’m definitely with you my friend…There are other options that we could use instead of those plastic bags to save energy and the environment as well…Let us also patronize the use of marerials which could be easily recycled.
I’m sure this is a good idea, yet I wonder what kind of effects it will have on shoppers. Plastic bags are extremely convenient, and bringing your own bags would be quite tedious.
But hey, I suppose the environment is worth it, eh?
Yes, this is great, considering the sheer volume China uses. I mean, if China is able to adapt, that gives every other country no excuse not to do the same!
This is a great idea . . . especially the notion of charging people extra for these bags. I wish we’d adopt similar practices in the U.S.