More and More Countries are Banning Plastic Bags
Former title: Developing countries lead ban of plastic bags, will advanced countries follow?
With annexes for Lesson References
Dr Abe V Rotor
Living with Nature - School on Blog
Plastics are culprits of flooding, asphyxiation of fish and children, allergy and asthma, cancer and plasticosis, hormone imbalance leading to birth defects and third sex, species extinction. There are more plastics fished from the sea than fish.
Plastic bags may help maintain the freshness of vegetables, but only for some time because heat builds up and moisture is trapped that favors fungi and bacteria that cause deterioration, and decay.
Sling plastic bag is practical and durable. It is ideal for fruits and vegetables, and dry goods, too.
It is convenient to use in the market, office, school and the like. There are specific uses of plastic such as in keeping food in the freezer. It is recommended however, that instead of using plastic bags, covered trays be used instead.
Plastic bags are now outlawed, starting in the "Third World" and creeping slowly to advanced countries. Now, this is a new twist. Take a look at these pioneers.
Plastics including microplastics are now ubiquitous in our natural environment. They are becoming part of the Earth's fossil record and a marker of the Anthropocene, our current geological era. They have even given their name to a new marine microbial habitat called the "plastisphere" - Our Planet is choking on plastic, UN Environmental Programme
- Philippines (Lucban, Quezon 2008; Muntinlupa, Metro Manila 2011)
- India (New Delhi 2009; Mumbai, Pradesh 2003, Karwar 2010, Tirumala and Rajasthan 2010)
- Bangladesh (Dhaka, 2003)
- South Africa, 2003
- Rwanda, 2005
- Zanzibar, 2006
- Tanzania, 2006
- USA (San Francisco, 2006)
- Great Britain (Modbury, 2007
- China, 2008
- Mexico, 2009
- Burma (Rangoon, 2009)
- Italy, 2011
Countries that ban and/or tax plastic bags are Ireland 2002, Belgium 2007, New Zealand 2009, Kenya 2007, Uganda 2007.
There are more and more supermarkets, school campuses, offices, and communities that ban plastic bags. If your school and community have not joined the plastic-bag ban, initiate the movement. Take a look at these activities.
1. Checkpoint at the school gate. No Styropore/stryrofoam for pack foods.
2. Plastic bottles bin for immediate collection to delivery to recycling plant.
3. Recycle plastics and non-biodegradable materials, like bayong (bulk bag from tetra packs, see in this Blog)
4. No burning of plastic materials policy; the smoke contains dioxin, carcinogenic and the most poisonous substance on earth. Fumes are more poisonous than cyanide.
5. Plant-based substitutes from pandan (Lucban, Quezon), buri, nipa, anahaw, coconut leaves, banana stalk, etc.
6. Encourage local industries using environment-friendly substitutes, like subsidy and awards.
Lastly, and the most practical, bring your own container: glass bottles, canisters, glazed jars, green bags, etc.
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Around the world, one million plastic bottles are purchased every minute, while up to five trillion plastic bags are used worldwide every year. In total, half of all plastic produced is designed for single-use purposes – used just once and then thrown away.Plastics including microplastics are now ubiquitous in our natural environment. They are becoming part of the Earth's fossil record and a marker of the Anthropocene, our current geological era. They have even given their name to a new marine microbial habitat called the "plastisphere" - Our Planet is choking on plastic, UN Environmental Programme
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Congratulations and acknowledgement: City of Muntinlupa, Philippine Daily Inquirer January 30, 2011
Lesson on former Paaralang Bayan sa Himpapawid (People's School-on-Air) with Ms Melly C Tenorio
738 DZRB AM, [www.pbs.gov.ph] 8-9 evening class Monday to Friday
738 DZRB AM, [www.pbs.gov.ph] 8-9 evening class Monday to Friday
ANNEX 1 - For Lesson Reference Only (avrotor)
House passes bill banning single-use plastics
By Filane Mikee Cervantes
July 28, 2021, 7:32 pm
MANILA – The House of Representatives on Wednesday night approved on final reading a bill banning single-use plastics to better address pollution linked to these disposable items.With 190 affirmative votes, zero negative votes, and one abstention, the chamber passed on third reading House Bill 9147, which seeks to regulate the production, importation, sale, distribution, provision, use, recovery, collection, recycling, and disposal of single-use plastic products.
Speaker Lord Allan Velasco, a principal author, said the measure aims to protect life, both land, and water, from hazards posed by plastic pollution and to ensure that non-compostable single-use synthetic plastic products do not leak into nature.
“The measure also provides steps for the eventual phasing out of single-use plastic products, a step that is from all accounts, one in the right direction,” Velasco said.
It also seeks to promote circularity through the reduction, reuse, and recycling of plastic trash.
The bill proposes to phase out within a year the production, importation, sale, distribution, provision, and use of single-use plastic drinking straws, stirrers, candy sticks, balloon sticks, cotton bud sticks, buntings, confetti, and packaging or bags less than 10 microns thick.
It also seeks to phase out within four years single-use plastic items such as tableware, film wrap, packaging or bags less than 50 microns thick, sachets and pouches, oxo-degradable plastics, and styropor food and beverage containers.
The bill mandates the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to formulate within six months a phase-out plan on single-use plastic wastes, with components on reducing consumption, increasing recovery, keeping producers accountable, developing alternatives, and raising awareness.
It shall obligate commercial establishments to promote reusable, recyclable, and retrievable products in their stores, charge PHP5.00 from customers for every plastic bag or single-use plastic used for take-out food or delivery service, and facilitate customer return of used plastic products to the store.
It seeks to penalize violators with fines ranging from PHP50,000 up to PHP500,000 for micro-enterprises and PHP250,000 up to PHP1,000,000 for larger businesses. (PNA) ~
ANNEX 2 - For Lesson Reference Only (avrotor)
Which Countries Have Banned Plastic Bags?
In an effort to reduce unnecessary waste, some countries have placed bans on plastic bags. Continue reading to find out which places have taken this action as well as more information about the pollution problem facing our planet today.
Plastic Bag Overload
Let's face it: plastic bags are everywhere these days, and while they may seem like a cheap, easy way to carry our goods, they are wreaking havoc on the planet in a number of ways. According to the Earth Policy Institute, nearly one trillion plastic bags are used worldwide every year. The problem is that these bags contain polyethylene and cannot biodegrade, which means if they aren't recycled or disposed of properly, they become pollution that we commonly see alongside the road or floating in the water. This equals trouble for not only us and our environment, but animals and other wildlife as well.
Here are some of the risks plastic bags pose: Animals - birds, marine life, cattle, and more - often mistake plastic bags for food or nest-building materials, which leads to poisoning, choking, entanglement, and blocked intestines - all of which can result in death.
Since plastic bags can't biodegrade, they last virtually forever (some estimates say 500+ years). Instead, they break down into smaller pieces (called microplastics) that leach toxicants that pollute the earth and even the human food supply.
Due to their light weight, plastic bags can easily blow out of trash receptacles or even landfills. They then clog up waterways, damage agricultural land, and provide ideal breeding grounds for mosquitoes.
Plastic bags are manufactured using petroleum, a nonrenewable resource that can be used for several more important things.
As a result of the growing plastic bag problem, some countries, states, and localities are taking action and putting a halt to plastic bag use completely. Other areas have begun to charge retailers or customers who choose to use plastic bags in an effort to curb their popularity. Let's take a closer look.
The World's Fight Against Plastic Bags
Several areas have plastic bag bans and/or taxes in place, and the following list is not comprehensive. It simply paints an overall picture of the overwhelming global concern that plastic bag use has caused and what is being done in response.
Africa
Africa takes the plastic bag problem very seriously; more than 15 countries on the continent have either banned them completely or charge a tax on them. Before the first ban was introduced in 2003, South Africa had actually declared plastic bags their 'national flower' due to their overwhelming presence in trees and bushes. How sad! Here are some of the countries in Africa that have bans or taxes in place:
- Kenya
- Mali
- Cameroon
- Tanzania
- Uganda
- Ethiopia
- Malawi
- Morocco
- South Africa
- Rwanda
- Botswana
Asia
Prior to the 2008 Olympic Games, China placed a ban on all thin plastic bags and began requiring retailers to charge a tax on thicker bags. The Chinese government has said that this has led to a two-thirds reduction in plastic bag use. Other countries in Asia that have bans or taxes in place include Bangladesh, Cambodia, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Taiwan.
Australia
Australia as a whole doesn't have a ban on plastic bags; however, several states and territories have begun to put bans in place, including the Northern Territory, South Australia, and Tasmania.
Europe
Europe has been very active in its fight against plastic bags. In 1994, Denmark was the first country to begin charging a tax on them. Following the introduction of the tax, usage dropped from around 800 million to approximately 400 million bags per year. Ireland, who began charging customers for plastic bags in 2002, saw a 90% reduction in usage and litter after the tax was put into effect. Recently, the European Union has said that it wants to see an 80% drop in plastic bag use by 2019, which means that all European countries will need to be on board. Other countries that currently have measures in place include:
Australia
Australia as a whole doesn't have a ban on plastic bags; however, several states and territories have begun to put bans in place, including the Northern Territory, South Australia, and Tasmania.
Europe
Europe has been very active in its fight against plastic bags. In 1994, Denmark was the first country to begin charging a tax on them. Following the introduction of the tax, usage dropped from around 800 million to approximately 400 million bags per year. Ireland, who began charging customers for plastic bags in 2002, saw a 90% reduction in usage and litter after the tax was put into effect. Recently, the European Union has said that it wants to see an 80% drop in plastic bag use by 2019, which means that all European countries will need to be on board. Other countries that currently have measures in place include:
- England
- Italy
- Wales
- Scotland
- Germany
- North America
- District of Columbia
- Seattle
- Maine
- New York
- Rhode Island
- Puerto Rico
- South America
That brings us to the BIG question: what can you and I do to help? Well, Sean Hammond, Deputy Policy Director of the Michigan Environmental Council, says that, 'Eliminating plastic bags is a necessary step to decreasing the amount of waste and pollution in the long term. Replacing all plastic and paper bags with reusable bags would mark a significant shift toward waste and pollution elimination. The first step should be to always reuse bags you have - be it paper, plastic, or textile. Plastic bag fees have been effective in reducing consumption of these bags. With major plastic pollution being found in all waterways, creative solutions, be it bag fees or other options, are necessary to address this society wide issue.'
Hammond also notes that the old mantra of 'reduce, reuse, recycle' is essential to keep in mind. He states, 'Buy less, utilize things multiple times, and then put them into recycling or composting instead of a landfill. Additionally, participate in local clean-ups or organize them. Finally, call your legislators, and let them know you want solutions to the pollution issue facing the world.' ~
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