Bag Facts:
(Plastic and paper)
- 120 Billion Plastic bags are consumed in the US
alone; with 500 billion bags being consumed world
wide. This number is growing exponentially every
year.
- The Wall Street Journal has estimated that the USA
consumes 100 billion plastic bags annually (the
equivalent of 12 million barrels of oil in the
manufacturing process and subsequent large
quantities of green house gases.) It was estimated
that these bags cost retailers $4 billion a year.
- It is estimated that 53% of plastic shopping bags
are distributed into circulation via supermarkets and
grocery stores.
- 9% of all solid waste produced in the US is plastic.
Of that half is plastic bags and plastic film.
- Plastic bags don’t biodegrade, they
photodegrade—breaking down into smaller and
smaller toxic bits contaminating soil and waterways
and entering the food web when animals
accidentally ingest.
- In a 1998 survey of the North Pacific Ocean, 89% of
waste observed was plastic products.
- Paper bags use up valuable natural resources
(paper pulp from trees,) create a large volume of
pollutants in the production process, take up large
amounts of space in land fills and are not as strong
as other types of bags.
(Plastic and paper)
- 120 Billion Plastic bags are consumed in the US
alone; with 500 billion bags being consumed world
wide. This number is growing exponentially every
year.
- The Wall Street Journal has estimated that the USA
consumes 100 billion plastic bags annually (the
equivalent of 12 million barrels of oil in the
manufacturing process and subsequent large
quantities of green house gases.) It was estimated
that these bags cost retailers $4 billion a year.
- It is estimated that 53% of plastic shopping bags
are distributed into circulation via supermarkets and
grocery stores.
- 9% of all solid waste produced in the US is plastic.
Of that half is plastic bags and plastic film.
- Plastic bags don’t biodegrade, they
photodegrade—breaking down into smaller and
smaller toxic bits contaminating soil and waterways
and entering the food web when animals
accidentally ingest.
- In a 1998 survey of the North Pacific Ocean, 89% of
waste observed was plastic products.
- Paper bags use up valuable natural resources
(paper pulp from trees,) create a large volume of
pollutants in the production process, take up large
amounts of space in land fills and are not as strong
as other types of bags.
Copyright (c) BagSpeak 2008
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Solutions:
- It has been reported by the Sierra Club that if every New York
resident reduced their consumption of plastic bags by just 1 per
year would reduce waste by 5 million lbs. and save $250,000 in
disposal costs.
- The Sierra Club have also reported that reusing a bag meant
for just one use has a big impact. A sturdy, reusable bag needs
only be used 11 times to have a lower environmental impact
than using 11 disposable plastic bags.
- International experience shows that the use of plastic bags
can be substantially reduced in a very short period of time.
Introduction of alternative reusable bags has shown to be an
effective means by which to reduce consumption of plastic
bags.
- This strategy has been most effective when combined with
legislative pressure for supermarkets and non grocery
distributors of plastic bags to impose a levy on customers who
choose to use plastic bags instead of reusable bags.
- It has been reported by the Sierra Club that if every New York
resident reduced their consumption of plastic bags by just 1 per
year would reduce waste by 5 million lbs. and save $250,000 in
disposal costs.
- The Sierra Club have also reported that reusing a bag meant
for just one use has a big impact. A sturdy, reusable bag needs
only be used 11 times to have a lower environmental impact
than using 11 disposable plastic bags.
- International experience shows that the use of plastic bags
can be substantially reduced in a very short period of time.
Introduction of alternative reusable bags has shown to be an
effective means by which to reduce consumption of plastic
bags.
- This strategy has been most effective when combined with
legislative pressure for supermarkets and non grocery
distributors of plastic bags to impose a levy on customers who
choose to use plastic bags instead of reusable bags.
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