In Australia, two of the largest supermarket chains have banned single-use plastic bags. Despite some initial difficulties, the initiative ultimately proved successful and spared the environment a great deal of plastic.

An initiative starting at the point of sale

Last summer, Coles and Woolworths, two retail giants with 741 supermarkets and around one thousand respectively, spread across Australia, introduced a ban on single-use plastic bags in their stores. According to the National Retail Association, as reported by Australian Associated Press, the initiative prevented 1.5 billion bags from entering circulation and being dispersed into the environment, particularly into the sea.

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More sign plastic bag bans work. Australia has reduced use by 80%, eliminating 1.5 billion bags annually from just two retail chains. ow.ly/sfrm30mTyhO

♥ 11 9 dic 2018 · Apri su X →

Changing habits is possible

The initiative by the two Australian chains showed that most people did not find it so difficult to change their habits, either bringing their own reusable bag from home or agreeing to pay for a reusable bag. It certainly took some time to adapt. Woolworths saw a slowdown in sales during the first months of the initiative, though these subsequently recovered. Coles had made something of a U-turn by introducing the distribution of free reusable plastic bags — a decision that was reversed following a wave of criticism from environmentally conscious shoppers.

Thirty-two countries, including Italy, have banned single-use plastic bags

The "battle" against plastic bags is a topical issue in many countries. ReuseThisBag.com — a company that produces and sells reusable bags — has conducted a brief analysis of the countries that have banned or taxed the use of single-use plastic bags. At least 32 have banned the use of these bags. Italy is among them, alongside several African countries where plastic bags have been banned not only for their polluting effects but also because they facilitate the spread of socio-sanitary problems, as they frequently block drainage channels, leading to an increase in mosquito swarms and, consequently, in malaria outbreaks. Measures against the use of single-use bags have also been adopted in China and India. In China, the level of bag pollution is so widespread that it is referred to as "white pollution". A total ban was introduced in 2008 and, since then, an actual reduction of around 40 billion bags has been recorded. In India, where a ban has been in force since 2002, it is estimated that around 20 cows still die every day from ingesting plastic.