Fellow
classmate and author, Wes Davis, of The
View Less Taken recently posted “Bag Ban:
The Impacts,” a commentary about a public policy of my personal interest.
Wes takes an object approach of citing both the advantages and potential
disadvantages of the Austin city ordinance that took
effect March 1, 2013, which regulates the types of single-use carryout bags that can be provided by Austin retailers and encourages consumers to utilize reusable bags as an alternative to plastic bags.
As one advantage, Wes notes that damage to the
planet could be significantly reduced if the ban on plastic bags catches
on nationally. With this, West reveals a major environmental issue regarding the use of
plastic bags, being that they are not biodegradable, which causes
them to accumulate in landfills and in oceans. The plastic used in most plastic grocery
bags (polyethylene terephthalate or PE) can take anywhere from 500 to 1000 years to break
down! In 2008 Daniel
Burd, a Waterloo, Canada high school student, demonstrated that certain
types of bacteria in
soil can effectively decompose plastic bags in
three months. However, until researchers replicate his experiment and waste
treatment plants implement new processes to do so, reducing the use of plastic bags
and recycling them are two options to alleviate the problem.
For instance, recent laws in California have made biodegradable plastic bags mandatory. One biodegradable plastic made from corn (polylactic acid or PLA), decomposes into water and carbon dioxide in 47 to 90 days! Unfortunately, while plastic bags are fully recyclable, many people do not recycle them, but reuse them as trash bags for household items. For those who are interested in recycling plastic bags, drop-off locations for recycling can easily be found by visiting PlasticBagRecycling.org. As Wes mentions, the ban on plastic bags is trending. Many cities nationwide, including San Francisco, Los Angeles and Mexico City, have either banned plastic grocery bags entirely, or encourage the use of reusable bags by charging fees for plastic grocery bags.
Wes notes an advantage for Austin businesses being the removal of the cost of production or purchase of plastic bags to provide customers free of charge. I agree that while the cost may not have been a heavy burden on the budgets of Austin businesses, there certainly is an advantage in eliminating plastic bags as an expenditure altogether. Now plastic bags are a source of revenue, as most stores charge anywhere from 20 cents to 2 dollars for a plastic bag. Moreover, businesses are able to sale reusable bags at an even higher rate. At some point those stashes of plastic bags in the cabinets and pantries of Austin consumers will diminish (if it hasn't already happened). With consumers purchasing more Hefty and HEB brand trash bags for items they would have reused a plastic grocery bag for, revenue for the overall sale of bags by Austin businesses will significantly increase.
I agree with Wes’ argument that the recent ban on plastic bags is a huge inconvenience for consumers in Austin. Remembering to bring them into stores presents a challenge (at least for me). Like Wes, I often forget to bring them inside and am faced with either purchasing more bags at the register or leaving my grocery cart unattended to go to my car and get them with my son. (As if grocery shopping with a four year old was not hectic enough!)
I would add that reusable bags are not durable. Their weak stitching takes the brunt of over-stuffing and the weight of more grocery items than would normally be placed in a plastic grocery bag. Consumers are doomed to constantly replace reusable bags, which adds up in cost over time. Another key argument made by H. Sterling Burnett on ncpa.org is that reusable bags present a considerably dangerous health concern, as they are repeatedly used, often with grocery items such as meat, poultry, and fish. If not cleaned regularly, harmful bacteria and mold can form which can contaminate bag users, their food, and others who make contact with the bags, including the grocery store conveyor belt.
Wes sheds light on another key disadvantage with reusable bags. The large number of people coming in and out of stores with bags and even without bags, carrying out items they purchase by hand, makes it difficult for businesses to determine who has actually paid for the items in their bags or in their hands. While this presents a problem for businesses it also presents an issue for customers being targeted by security as potential shoplifters. Better keep those receipts in close proximity folks!
As one advantage, Wes notes that damage to the
planet could be significantly reduced if the ban on plastic bags catches
on nationally. With this, West reveals a major environmental issue regarding the use of
plastic bags, being that they are not biodegradable, which causes
them to accumulate in landfills and in oceans. The plastic used in most plastic grocery
bags (polyethylene terephthalate or PE) can take anywhere from 500 to 1000 years to break
down! In 2008 Daniel
Burd, a Waterloo, Canada high school student, demonstrated that certain
types of bacteria in
soil can effectively decompose plastic bags in
three months. However, until researchers replicate his experiment and waste
treatment plants implement new processes to do so, reducing the use of plastic bags
and recycling them are two options to alleviate the problem.For instance, recent laws in California have made biodegradable plastic bags mandatory. One biodegradable plastic made from corn (polylactic acid or PLA), decomposes into water and carbon dioxide in 47 to 90 days! Unfortunately, while plastic bags are fully recyclable, many people do not recycle them, but reuse them as trash bags for household items. For those who are interested in recycling plastic bags, drop-off locations for recycling can easily be found by visiting PlasticBagRecycling.org. As Wes mentions, the ban on plastic bags is trending. Many cities nationwide, including San Francisco, Los Angeles and Mexico City, have either banned plastic grocery bags entirely, or encourage the use of reusable bags by charging fees for plastic grocery bags.
Wes notes an advantage for Austin businesses being the removal of the cost of production or purchase of plastic bags to provide customers free of charge. I agree that while the cost may not have been a heavy burden on the budgets of Austin businesses, there certainly is an advantage in eliminating plastic bags as an expenditure altogether. Now plastic bags are a source of revenue, as most stores charge anywhere from 20 cents to 2 dollars for a plastic bag. Moreover, businesses are able to sale reusable bags at an even higher rate. At some point those stashes of plastic bags in the cabinets and pantries of Austin consumers will diminish (if it hasn't already happened). With consumers purchasing more Hefty and HEB brand trash bags for items they would have reused a plastic grocery bag for, revenue for the overall sale of bags by Austin businesses will significantly increase.
I agree with Wes’ argument that the recent ban on plastic bags is a huge inconvenience for consumers in Austin. Remembering to bring them into stores presents a challenge (at least for me). Like Wes, I often forget to bring them inside and am faced with either purchasing more bags at the register or leaving my grocery cart unattended to go to my car and get them with my son. (As if grocery shopping with a four year old was not hectic enough!)
I would add that reusable bags are not durable. Their weak stitching takes the brunt of over-stuffing and the weight of more grocery items than would normally be placed in a plastic grocery bag. Consumers are doomed to constantly replace reusable bags, which adds up in cost over time. Another key argument made by H. Sterling Burnett on ncpa.org is that reusable bags present a considerably dangerous health concern, as they are repeatedly used, often with grocery items such as meat, poultry, and fish. If not cleaned regularly, harmful bacteria and mold can form which can contaminate bag users, their food, and others who make contact with the bags, including the grocery store conveyor belt.
Wes sheds light on another key disadvantage with reusable bags. The large number of people coming in and out of stores with bags and even without bags, carrying out items they purchase by hand, makes it difficult for businesses to determine who has actually paid for the items in their bags or in their hands. While this presents a problem for businesses it also presents an issue for customers being targeted by security as potential shoplifters. Better keep those receipts in close proximity folks!
Overall, Wes’ post is very well-organized and well-written. He provides a comprehensive commentary by taking an unbiased approach to review both the advantages and disadvantages of the ordinance. While I can relate to many of the pros as well as the cons, I agree with Wes and feel that the ordinance's positive impacts on Austin businesses and the environment far outweigh the negative impacts on consumers and businesses.
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