• Plastic grocery bags were introduced 30 years ago and today, hundreds of billions are dispensed each year.
• A major problem with plastic bags is that they are rarely recycled and often end up becoming deadly traps for fish and birds.
• It is generally agreed that paper bags pose less of a litter problem, but they require more water and energy to produce than plastic bags.

Facts & Figures

• The plastic industry estimates that only 10% of Americans don’t reuse plastic bags, but the Environmental Protection Agency points out that they are recycled at less than one-third the rate of paper bags.
• There have been some instances of discouraging plastic bag use: Ireland imposed a tax on plastic grocery bags in 2002, San Francisco banned plastic grocery bags in 2007, and China banned the distribution of free plastic grocery bags in 2008.
• Recycling rates for plastic bags exceed 30% in some European countries.

Best Quote

“There is simply zero justification for manufacturing them anymore, anywhere.” – Achim Steinger, Executive Director of the U.N. Environment Program

Tags: Environment, paper bags, plastic bags, recycling, waste