Plastic bag bans are not perfect, but they are just the starting point
Despite being the first country to ban plastic bags, Bangladesh failed to enforce it due to lax enforcement, poor public awareness, and a lack of viable alternatives. Will it work this time?
It has now been almost two months since the ban on single-use plastic bags came into effect on 1 October. Shortly after, an acquaintance of mine—let us call her Samira—went shopping at a supermarket and was outraged when she was asked to pay extra for a reusable bag at the checkout counter.
The staff at the counter tried to explain the ban on plastic bags, but that only infuriated her further. "What plastic bags?" she asked. Had not the supermarket been bagging her purchases in cloth bags free of charge until now? She assumed the store was trying to make a quick profit by charging for the bag.
That day, she rallied support from other shoppers and convinced the store to provide the bags free of charge. It was a small victory for Samira, but will such victories save the environment?
The first ban
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Did you know Bangladesh was the first country to ban plastic bags in 2002? The ban came after it was discovered that they were a key factor in repeatedly clogging drainage systems during catastrophic floods.
Over 20 years ago, we were ahead of the curve in taking steps to protect the environment. However, the ubiquitous plastic bag soon made a comeback, driven by lax enforcement, poor public awareness, and a lack of viable alternatives.
What does this history imply for the future of the current ban?
According to the United Nations, plastic bags are banned in 91 countries worldwide. However, the stringency of these bans and the quality of implementation vary greatly. Some countries impose taxes on plastic bags, while others partially ban thin, lightweight bags but still allow thicker, reusable ones. Total bans are more common across Africa and Asia, where waste management remains a significant challenge.
Does banning plastic bags help the environment?
Experiences from these regions present a mixed picture. The good news is that well-designed bans on single-use plastic bags have successfully reduced the volume of plastic in circulation.
However, critics argue that such bans are a passing trend and fail to address the root causes of plastic pollution. After all, plastic bags represent only a small fraction of the problem and contribute minimally to marine debris.
Critics also point out that bans often lead to the use of alternatives, such as paper bags, which are more energy-intensive to produce and can cause greater environmental harm.
The economic impacts of bag bans disproportionately affect small-scale plastics manufacturers, who depend on producing single-use bags for their livelihood.
Sustaining the gains of plastic bag bans is another challenge. Bangladesh's struggles with its earlier ban are a case in point, as is Kenya, which enforces one of the world's toughest plastic bag bans. Violations in Kenya are punishable by fines or even imprisonment.
Yet, by 2023, brightly coloured plastic bags were making a comeback, smuggled in from neighbouring Ethiopia, where no such ban exists. This resurgence was partly due to a lack of public awareness about the environmental harm caused by single-use plastic bags.
The game changer: Outreach and awareness
The foundation for sustained behaviour change lies in outreach and awareness. People need to understand that their actions can positively impact environmental sustainability. They also need accurate information about the environmental attributes of different packaging materials and proper recycling methods.
For instance, if Samira had been exposed to an effective awareness campaign, she might have realised that the bags she thought were cloth were actually interwoven with plastic filaments, making them non-recyclable.
Access to alternatives is another critical barrier to reducing reliance on plastic bags. Retailers often struggle to source sufficient quantities of alternative materials and face higher costs for reusable bags. Charging consumers for reusable bags can address this issue.
By requiring customers to pay for a bag if they don't bring their own, responsibility shifts to the individual. This approach is consumer-focused, business-friendly, and avoids creating unfair competition.
Access to alternatives is another critical barrier to reducing reliance on plastic bags. Retailers often struggle to source sufficient quantities of alternative materials and face higher costs for reusable bags. Charging consumers for reusable bags can address this issue. By requiring customers to pay for a bag if they don't bring their own, responsibility shifts to the individual. This approach is consumer-focused, business-friendly, and avoids creating unfair competition.
Just transition
Identifying and addressing the concerns of key stakeholders is crucial for fostering behavioural change. Retailers, for example, may worry about accusations of profiteering when they sell reusable bags or potential losses due to shoplifting if customers bring their own bags.
In regions with similar bans, retailers have adopted strategies such as zip-locking customers' bags upon entry or verifying receipts at exits to prevent theft.
Certain businesses, such as butcher shops, may have legitimate hygiene concerns requiring exemptions. Policymakers must ensure such exceptions do not become widespread, undermining the ban's effectiveness.
Facilitating this transition demands socio-economic transformation through careful planning and collaboration among businesses, communities, and industries.
Plastic bag bans: Not a cure-all, but a step forward
Bag bans alone cannot solve the plastic crisis, but they represent an important first step towards changing consumption habits. By encouraging consumers and businesses to embrace alternatives, bans lay the groundwork for a more sustainable future.
Bans are not perfect, but under the right circumstances, they can be both effective and efficient.
Sankalita Shome is the Chief Coordinator of the Bangladesh Sustainability Alliance (BSA), hosted by BRAC.
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and views of The Business Standard.
