They should be banned. Many cities in US such as Chicago, San Francisco have such bans. Many environment conscious people voluntarily use either paper bags or cloth bags for the purpose. In Hyderabad, India plastic shopping bags up to 40 microns thick were banned but not enforced.

http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Hyderabad/ghmc-backtracks-from-total-plastic-ban/article2144212.ece

http://people.howstuffworks.com/how-many-cities-have-a-ban-on-plastic-bags.htm

They should be banned. Many cities in US such as Chicago, San Francisco have such bans. Many environment conscious people voluntarily use either paper bags or cloth bags for the purpose. In Hyderabad, India plastic shopping bags up to 40 microns thick were banned but not enforced.

http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Hyderabad/ghmc-backtracks-from-total-plastic-ban/article2144212.ece

http://people.howstuffworks.com/how-many-cities-have-a-ban-on-plastic-bags.htm

In my opinion, the use of plastic bags should be banned completely. The main concern is the fact that these plastic bags are not biodegradable, hence causing a significant impact on our environment, particularly pollution issues worldwide. Now, even a small city like Penang in Malaysia has also implemented the ban for use of plastic bags, which definitely caused a huge problem in the whole country. Instead, why don't we voluntarily start off with the use of paper bags or other cloth bags which are environmental-friendly. However, only a small part of world population would not make an immediate effect. So, we should now ban the use of plastic bags and increase the awareness and consciousness among all the users or consumers about the impact of these plastic bags to our earth for the sake of our future generations.

That is true Chung Liang Lim. Though the paper bags are biodegradable, they consume a large amount of energy for their preparation. Ideal would be the reusable cloth or jute bags that will be environment friendly and carbon neutral. The awareness has to come to the people and should be voluntarily used to be effective.

Totally with you, Dr. Nageswara Posinasetti. One ideal alternative would be through the use of cloth bags as you suggested, which would be environmental friendly. Awareness and consciousness should come to the people. Voluntary and unity are the key to achieve this objective of complete ban of plastic bags.

That is true Chung Liang Lim. There should be some way of educating population as well as having some taxing system similar to Ireland which reduced the use of plastic bags by almost 80%. Here is a summary of some state legislations in US.

http://www.ncsl.org/research/environment-and-natural-resources/plastic-bag-legislation.aspx

I also believe that plastic bags should be totally banned. Use of cloth bag is the perfect alternative to get rid of the use of plastic bags. The ban on plastic bags have been imposed in North Bengal ( India) and has been a great success since those who are found to use (both the shopkeeper as well as the customer) have to pay fine. I think it is the punishment (in the form of fine) led to the success. Whatever may be the cause the best part is ban of the use of plastic bags. I think similar measures can be adapted in different parts of the world.

Plastic bag should be banned completely but right now there arent any "good" enough alternative to replace "standard" plastic bag. But biodegradable plastic bag is good idea though.

Keeping in view the environmental hazards of plastic, there should be complete ban on these polymers. For alternative, I think paper and carbohydrates capsules are perfect.

I disagree. I think there is no simple answer to that question. E.g. the energy comsumed to produce paper bags (and the resulting pollution) should also taken into account.

In countries where litter collecting and recycling is not well developed, a ban will maybe mitigate some of the immediate problems.

In countries where collecting and recycling is well established, a ban might me worsen the overall balance of effects.

For example, in Germany you have to pay a little money for plastic bags in the supermarket. This reduces the number of plastic bags used, enforces people to bring their own bags to shopping and encourages multi-use of plastic bags. In the end, people use plastic bags for their litter boxes at home.

Dear E. Strub

Germany is an exception. They should be banned. The wildlife and the planet will be better off.

While considering the ban, bags from cotton, jute and paper are the environmentally acceptable option.

I believe that everything is discussing the wrong end of the problem. The problem is not the use of plastic bags, the problem is the use of DISPOSABLE bags. If we reused bags and didn't discard them, it would not matter so much if they were plastic, cloth or paper. Disposable cloth or paper bags have different but equally costly environmental ramifications.

A recent study of shopping bags gives a very good analysis. I am reproducing a graphic from the paper here. “The results show that the impact of different types of shopping bags in terms of their carbon footprint potential is very high if no usage and disposal options were provided. The results indicate that a higher percentage of reuse could significantly scale down the carbon footprint. Once the shopping bags reached the point where they can no longer be reused, they must be forwarded to recycling options, rather than being disposed to landfill.”

Muthu, S. S., Li, Y., Hu, J. Y., & Mok, P. Y. (2011). Carbon footprint of shopping (grocery) bags in China, Hong Kong and India. Atmospheric Environment, 45(2), 469-475.

Plastic bags are a threat to environment, and the mankind. Manufacture and use both should be banned at least some standards should be worked out for the type/thickness for the plastic bags production.

Production of thin and sigle use plastic bags should be banned totally, globally.

But this is not happening. It seems we can not go back to cloth bag. Therefore I feel that in place of current use and through plastic bags, we must come out with sturdy, trendy, customer gender based designed for multiple use and 100 percent recycle-able plastic bags to save environment.. With this we can save/support the plastic industry as well as manpower involved in this trade

I think that plastic bags should not be banned because they are recycled into new products. Also once a family is done using them at the store they can use them as a garbage bag at home.

And now in market 100% recycle-able plastic is available so ....

Some plastic bags in US are biodegradable (e.g., for cleaning up after pets), corn-based; however, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biodegradable_bag. Also, my concern is more for the cow in the photo.

@Cj Nev

what is the time interval for Bio degradation of Plastic bags...

Nishant, excellent point. Unfortunately, from http://www.howstuffworks.com/science-vs-myth/everyday-myths/how-long-does-it-take-for-plastics-to-biodegrade.htm:

"In 2009, researchers from Nihon University in Chiba, Japan, found that plastic in warm ocean water can degrade in as little as a year. This doesn't sound so bad until you realize those small bits of plastic are toxic chemicals such as bisphenol A (BPA) and PS oligomer. These end up in the guts of animals or wash up on shorelines, where humans are most likely to come into direct contact with the toxins.

"One solution to this environmental disaster is biodegradable plastic. There are two types currently on the market -- plant-based hydro-biodegradable plastic and petroleum-based oxo-biodegradable plastic. In the former category, polylactic acid (PLA), a plastic made from corn, tops the list as the most talked-about alternative. PLA decomposes into water and carbon dioxide in 47 to 90 days -- four times faster than a PET-based bag floating in the ocean. But conditions have to be just right to achieve these kinds of results. PLA breaks down most efficiently in commercial composting facilities at high temperatures. When buried in a landfill, a plastic bag made from corn may remain intact just as long as a plastic bag made from oil or natural gas."

The biodegradable plastics with reasonable times for degradation are still some time away. In the mean time it is important to educate the people about the safe way of using and recycling properly so that the problem particularly that faced by the wildlife be minimized.

It seems to me, we could reverse engineer all these 'toxins,' same as we mine to get the raw materials in the first place, like go after that Great Pacific Garbage Patch, etc., the size of Texas. It should be built into the standard.

Dear Nishant! It should gradually try out banning the use of plastic bags through adoption of economic instrument as an incentive to change behavior of general public overtime.This can be done by promoting bring any kind of their own bags when shopping.If it not work, then it is time for intervention and control to stop using plastic bags.

@ Cj Nev.... ya i am agree ... to you...

Nishant,

Excellent question. You know, because in America, it seems recycling is almost a given...but, I'll bet it really isn't (is not). In a perfect world everyone would recycle; however, this is not a perfect world. Therefore, I think grocery stores and shopping malls should stop using them as an excellent marketing strategy, as well as, organizational responsibility for environmental care. If every store was fined, or, even noted in the local newspaper for using plastic bags, I am willing to bet, we would see an enormous nation-wide behavior change. Especially, if we use classic Agenda Setting Theory.

Agenda Setting Theory (which I am sure is familiar to you) from an evidenced-based perspective, predicts that if individuals are exposed to the same media (or mass media), they will place importance on the same issues. It has proven to be very beneficial for instances such as described in your topic. However, I think we can also attest to the damage mass media can cause, but, in this case, I think it is the way to go. Hit the plastic bag nightmare at the organizational level with press coverage and accolades for those who refuse to use plastic bags, and watch a whole nation get healthier.

--Marilyn :0)

Plastic bags should be charged as ‘green tax’, if cannot be banned. Revenue generated as ‘green tax’ can be used to tackle other environmental problems or reduce other taxes. In addition, goods sold can be supplied without providing any plastic bags. 

Plastic bags should be substituted by biodegradable plastic with new technologies that the process of decomposition be faster as the paper. On the other hand plastic bags should be charged high taxes and fines, stimulating the adoption of non-pollution technologies.