The negative environmental impact of plastic bag production and disposal is nothing new. Despite this, many global companies continue to use the plastic carrier bag, favouring its easy and cheap production over the more eco-friendly plastic bag.
In today’s post, we’re looking at just how damaging plastic bags are to the environment, and exploring why eco carrier bags could be a potentially planet-saving solution.
The production
Like all plastic, carrier bags are sourced from crude oil. The manufacturing of the product is subsequently unsustainable, in addition to emitting a considerable amount of pollution throughout the extraction and production process.
Approximately 6% of global oil production is for the plastic manufacturing industry, with a shocking 35-40% of that industry being made up of plastic bag production. This creates an industry ripe in pollution, causing significant environmental and atmospheric damage.
The impact
However, the most harmful environmental impact of plastic carrier bags is caused in their disposal, not the production. Though the number of plastic bags in the UK has dropped by around 80% since the introduction of a 5p bag charge in 2015, the planet is still suffering drastically from their harmful disposal.
This is because the petrochemicals used in the manufacturing of plastic bags break down incredibly slowly, breaking into smaller and smaller pieces of plastic but never completely degrading.
The biggest impact of this is water pollution and a subsequent effect on aquatic wildlife. Marine organisms will consume these small plastic pieces, often mistaking them for food. In June, for example, a beached whale was discovered in Thailand to have consumed over 80 plastic bags before its death - and reports of marine deaths related to plastic ingestion continue to rise.
The alternatives
Yet it doesn’t have to be this way. Biodegradable vest carrier bags provide an environmentally-friendly option that maintains the convenience of the plastic carrier bag.
Biodegradable plastics break down over the course of several months without a net increase in carbon dioxide production, in contrast to the hundreds of years that non-biodegradable plastics spend in landfill.
Furthermore, eco-friendly bags are sourced from more natural sources than their non-biodegradable counterparts. This lowers pollution levels from the extraction of non-sustainable sources, generating 68% less greenhouse gases than plastic during production.
So, when it comes to bagging your products, it’s clear that in a bid to try to protect the planet, the only option is to use eco bags. UK businesses are becoming increasingly conscious of their environmental footprint, and with the consumer beginning to consider environmental impact as a factor in their purchases, there’s never been a better time to take a step in a greener direction.
If you’re a business owner looking to make your business greener, check out our biodegradable plastic bags - you’ll find our wholesale options here.
