Does Banning Plastic Bags Affect The Polyethylene Bags industry?

Increased awareness about environmental pollution has heightened concerns about the indiscriminate disposal of waste all over the world.

Much of the concern revolves around the excessive use and disposal of plastic packaging which, despite being useful, is proving to be a very real threat to our planet.

About 85% of all the litter found in our oceans is plastic with half being made up of single-use items such as plastic straws and bags.

These disturbing statistics are what prompted over 60 countries to propose the ban on single-use plastic bags and straws.

Most arguments in support of banning plastic bags involve environmental issues citing concerns that they don’t decompose easily and sadly land up in lakes, rivers, and our oceans.

Arguments to retain the use of plastic bags come from manufacturers who argue that they are actually more environmentally friendly and would potentially have a negative impact on the economy.

They also argued that certain countries have already established infrastructure for the recycling of plastic materials.

97% of plastic bags are used only once before being discarded and typical plastic bags do not contain any recycled materials.

How Will the Plastic Bag Ban Impact the Economy?

Certain policies can cause unintended negative consequences.

In an effort to prevent litter or reduce harm to the environment, officials often overstate the environmental issues and overlook the potential negative impact their policies may have on the economy.

Proponents for the ban of plastic bags may mean well, however, product bans and taxes always have the effect of increasing costs for businesses which are passed on to consumers.

Plastic bag bans can hurt the polyethylene bags industry as well as shoppers; particularly those who can least afford to pay more for food.

The possible detrimental effects of plastic bag ban on businesses are as follows:

• Plastic bag manufacturing sustains thousands if not millions of jobs which could be lost.

• Plastic bag bans can impact retail sales as it will encourage shoppers to shop in neighbouring areas that do not have bans.

• A ban on plastic bags will affect poor people who shop at grocery and retail stores the most.

• A plastic bag ban will cause the polyethylene bags industry to spend thousands of dollars on finding alternative materials for shopping bags which will directly affect the bottom lines of businesses.

Recycling as a Solution

A better solution to the problem of plastic bag pollution may be for governments and municipalities to work together to combat the problem without hurting business owners, the economy, and those who are poor by promoting responsible recycling instead.

The simple truth is that plastic waste pollution is caused by human behaviour.

Banning plastic bags will not change the fact that lazy, thoughtless, and careless people are responsible for littering our streets, waterways, and oceans with plastic bags by throwing them out of car windows, tossing them over the side of boats, or dropping them wherever they happen to be.

There is a real need for intelligent solutions and maybe plastic bans will help shake up the industry and get everyone on board to become more proactive.

Maybe we should look to industry innovators to come up with a solution or work on strategies to help change human behaviour.

Using biodegradable materials to manufacture shopping bags is one solution that has already been taken to the next level by concerned people in many areas.

However, this will not change the basic problem of human participation in pollution.

When confronted about littering, these people will probably respond with “What’s the problem? It’s biodegradable isn’t it?

The Repercussions of Global Bans on Industries

There is no denying that an initiative to ban single-use plastic bags will be beneficial in creating a healthier environment.

However, it is equally important to take into consideration the likely impact that such a ban will have on businesses that rely on the use of such items.

A ban will have serious repercussions for packaging, retail, food services, and other industries.

All manufacturers providing plastic bags will have to develop alternative strategies to meet the requirements of businesses like grocery stores, retail outlets, hotels, and restaurants.

This will cause rising costs that will eventually hurt business owners and shoppers alike.

When it comes to plastic shopping bags, as well as packaging and warehouse supplies, Pinpak has all of your requirements covered.

We are an environmentally conscious organisation and all of the plastics we produce are fully recyclable.

If you need something special, save yourself the leg work and the stress and let us find it for you. Our motto has always been “Get the Service You Deserve”.

Please take a look at our website https://www.pinpak.com.au/ and feel free to make a purchase using our secure shopping portal.

Or phone us today on 1300 855 571 with your enquiry.

We are always here to help!