Plastic Bag 5p Charge

[Joffey]

This is all over the news today but they aren't really reporting the facts, surprise surprise.

Here is a link from a skeptical website that puts some simple facts down backed up with research.

http://skeptoid.com/episodes/4460

Quite interesting that if you use a cotton bag for life you have to use it at least 131 times for the environmental benefits to be more so that plastic bags.

 

[mjr]

Well, I've got cotton shopping bags still in service after more than ten years and there are many other materials available too (nylon, canvas, seagrass, ...) so I don't think the reuse rates are unattainable, but the current minimal charge for pathetic easy-rip plastic ones instead of them being seen as take-as-many-as-you-can free gifts is probably appropriate, although I'm not sure 5p is accurate to embody their harm.

It's also a bit odd not to note that torn paper bags are recycled into firelighters or simply put into household recycling bins, which we can't do with supermarket bags. (Some supermarkets take in their thinplastic bags for recycling but not all: oour local Tesco doesn't, for example)

 

[vickster]

A good thing if it means my house and car are no longer full of the bloody things!

 

[mybike]

This is all over the news today but they aren't really reporting the facts, surprise surprise.

Here is a link from a skeptical website that puts some simple facts down backed up with research.

http://skeptoid.com/episodes/4460

Quite interesting that if you use a cotton bag for life you have to use it at least 131 times for the environmental benefits to be more so that plastic bags.

Interesting review, thanks for posting it. I'm old enough to remember paper bags being worse than useless, especially when it is raining, so it's interesting to see that they're more toxic to produce!

No doubt now that the useful plastic bags have been dealt with the tree huggers will find something else to ban or tax.

 

[Joffey]

Does anyone, like myself, use them as bin liners? I normally use my Minions and Trasnformers Tesco bags for life but there are times I don't on purpose as I need some plastic bags for the bin. I don't mind paying 5p for the privilege in future but i wonder if using the bag twice (shopping and for the bin) if better than buying actual bin bags which use more material?

 

[BrumJim]

Off to try this on the way home. Hopefully it will stop my favourite Indian supermarket putting my shopping in a plastic bag. When my shopping consists of one bag of Bombay mix only, and I've clearly got a rucksack on my back. And the bag is just a plain blue one. And I pop in regularly and ALWAYS refuse the plastic bag or give it back.

We'll see.

 

[mjr]

No doubt now that the useful plastic bags have been dealt with the tree huggers will find something else to ban or tax.

The useful ones already cost money in most places. This is about those awful see through ones that tear on the way back to the bike and smash the jars and bottles onto the tarmac!

That's why I switched to reusable strong bags, more than any environmental concern.

 

[mybike]

Well, I've got cotton shopping bags still in service after more than ten years and there are many other materials available too (nylon, canvas, seagrass, ...) so I don't think the reuse rates are unattainable, but the current minimal charge for pathetic easy-rip plastic ones instead of them being seen as take-as-many-as-you-can free gifts is probably appropriate, although I'm not sure 5p is accurate to embody their harm.

It's also a bit odd not to note that torn paper bags are recycled into firelighters or simply put into household recycling bins, which we can't do with supermarket bags. (Some supermarkets take in their thinplastic bags for recycling but not all: oour local Tesco doesn't, for example)

Did you bother to read the article? If you're not washing those cotton bags they're probably spreading germs. The whole business is just a joke.

 

[hopless500]

Does anyone, like myself, use them as bin liners? I normally use my Minions and Trasnformers Tesco bags for life but there are times I don't on purpose as I need some plastic bags for the bin. I don't mind paying 5p for the privilege in future but i wonder if using the bag twice (shopping and for the bin) if better than buying actual bin bags which use more material?

Yep, I do. I also use them for the cat litter tray when one of the cats is being kept in.

 

[mjr]

... but i wonder if using the bag twice (shopping and for the bin) if better than buying actual bin bags which use more material?

I think using proper degrades-to-water bin liners is probably the best option if you empty your bin at least monthly.

 

[mjr]

Did you bother to read the article? If you're not washing those cotton bags they're probably spreading germs. The whole business is just a joke.

I read it but couldn't relate to it. My bags live in a utility cupboard, not a bathroom.

What germs lurk on tinned and jarred goods that are going to transfer to the bag and survive the days hanging up in a cool dry cupboard between shops? Those sorts of germs are probably widespread in our environment and not much of a worry.

 

[Fnaar]

We normally use placcy shopping bags for picking up the dogs poop when out on walks.

 

[mybike]

and oodles of academic stuff (like this).

That doesn't actually address the question of whether plastic bags are harmful, as for government papers, they believe in global warming too.

What do you have? A Great Dane?

You should see the amount my son's border collie drops.

 

[mjr]

We normally use placcy shopping bags for picking up the dogs poop when out on walks.

I don't have a dog but walk one sometimes. Aren't poop bags meant to be Compostable ones?

 

[mybike]

The article the OP linked to is a joke. It's lots of assertions and claims with no evidence.

Plenty of references, have you checked them?