The other side: plastic bag bans and taxes do not keep plastic litter out of landfills

Sunday, May 26, 2013



Information provided by Hilex Poly, an American manufacturer and recycler of plastic bags

Studies have shown plastic bag bans and taxes do not keep plastic litter out of landfills. Additionally, the EPA has found that plastic bags make up less than 0.5 percent of the U.S. municipal solid waste stream, which indicates that implementing such legislation is a bit misguided and that plastic retail bags aren’t a real driver in waste. And when people argue that plastic bag bans are the right response, it is important to remember that more than 90 percent of American reuse their plastic bags at least once. Many of these bags are used for a variety of purposes and banning bags will lead to consumers purchasing replacement bags.

It is also important to remember that plastic bags are a 100% recyclable product. When recycled, plastic bags are repurposed into a variety of objects, including playground equipment, outdoor decking, and new plastic bags. Plastic bag recycling is becoming more common every year, with 91 to 93 percent of the U.S. population having access to nearby plastic bag recycling, according to a recent report. Additionally, plastic recycling has continued to grow with over a billion pounds recycled last year, up 55% percent from 2005.

Finally, plastic bags are actually often the greenest product when it comes to containers. Plastic bags require fewer resources to produce and transport than common alternatives like paper, cotton, or plastic reusable bags and are mostly made here in America from natural gas refining byproducts.


8 comments:

Anonymous,  May 27, 2013 at 7:30 AM  

See http://www.savetheplasticbag.com/ for info such as this:
"There is a danger that the green herd, in pursuit of a good cause, stumbles into misguided campaigns….
Many of those who have demonized plastic bags have enlisted scientific study to their cause. By exaggerating a grain of truth into a larger falsehood, they spread misinformation and abuse the trust of their unwitting audiences."

"In their eagerness to make their case [against plastic bags], some of the environmental groups make up claims that are not really supportable."

Don't let Shoreline be the next victim of unsubstantiated science, and make us pay the high costs via untended consequences..just so a select group of activists can "feel good" about "doing something to save mother earth"

Anonymous,  May 27, 2013 at 7:43 AM  

I'm sure the herbicide companies had a similar line of reasoning when defending the use of DDT. Plastic shopping bags are unnecessary and contribute to the Pacific plastic gyre. Case closed. Ban 'em.

Anonymous,  May 27, 2013 at 8:07 AM  

@ Anonymous, May 27, 2013 at 7:43 AM:
you cite the DDT ban as reason why the plastic bag should be banned? The unintended consequences of the DDT ban is good example why we should not ban the plastic bag so easily e.g. "The ban on DDT may have killed 20 million children(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DDT#cite_note-122)
"Big Environmentalism" and "Big Gov't" have grown dangerous because they put the full force of the gov't behind BAD and/or UNPROVEN science.

Anonymous,  May 27, 2013 at 9:31 AM  

Bag lover,

The ban on ddt has saved countless animals in OUR web of life. If they go, we go. You're short sighted.

Anonymous,  May 27, 2013 at 10:10 AM  

Bag hater,

Every technological achievement known to man, from the stone age forward, can be shown to directly or indirectly impact the environment. Moreover, the "natural" actions of every single species on this planet directly or indirectly impacts all the others, as well as their own. 99.9% of all the species that have ever lived are now extinct. You yourself could help the planet for more by shuffling off this mortal coil, than by supporting every ban this fascist state could possibly come up with in the next 50 years. It is you are being short-sighted. As long as there are human beings, this trend is going to play out. Face it.

Anonymous,  May 27, 2013 at 5:23 PM  

Does anyone remember when the bags came into being and touted by greenies as a way to save the trees and forests? At that time, paper bags were bad and destroying forests. Plastic bags were a preferred alternative. My, my, how we have changed . . .

Unknown May 30, 2013 at 6:48 PM  

I believe that it is very important that we should all observe proper disposal and recycling of our garbage. We are the once responsible of all the things that we have and we are also be responsible when we don't want it anymore.- www.100gallonbags.com

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