An Analysis of the Plastic Bag Ban: Environmental and Economic Effects

This report examines the implications of a plastic bag ban, addressing both its positive and negative consequences. It highlights the environmental benefits of reducing plastic waste, such as minimizing methane gas emissions, decreasing landfill use, and preventing drainage system blockages, thereby protecting animal habitats. However, it also acknowledges the economic impacts, including potential job losses in the plastic bag manufacturing sector and inconvenience for consumers accustomed to using plastic bags for shopping and food packaging. The report discusses how the ban can affect the packaging of food items, medicines, and other essential goods. To mitigate these challenges, the report suggests that the government should promote the use of paper or recyclable bags before implementing a complete ban. The report concludes with references to relevant research on biodegradable plastic mulch and the use of plastic adhesive drapes in surgery.

Running head: EDITORIAL LETTER
EDITORIAL LETTER
Name of the Student:
Name of the University:
Author Note:

1EDITORIAL LETTER
My Address:
Date: 27 July 2019
To
The Editor
The Daily Gleaner
Address:
Subject: Plastic bag ban and its repercussions
Respected sir,
Through your esteemed daily, I would like to state that plastic ban is important for the
environment and how the action of banning plastic bags has repercussions for the economy of
the country and more essentially our society.
Plastic bags and other uses have created a doldrums in the society for last few years
and most of the environmentalists are referring plastics to be the most harmful for natural
environment. The reason of tagging plastic is due to its quality of lasting forever. Every bit
of plastic made still exists in earth which needs more than 1000 years to degrade fully. This is
the reason why the government has taken initiative to end this process of over using of
plastics bangs in the households which are the reasons of choking of the drainage pipes, water
logging, poisoning of soil through landfills and murder of the innocent aquatic creatures.
Because the plastic bags of 24 inches by 24 inches or less are light weight and protect
the things carried from being ruined in water, these are one of the most used things in the
household. However, this usefulness is actually harming us in all possible way. Therefore, the
act of impossible ban on the use of plastic bags that include importation, manufacture and

2EDITORIAL LETTER
distribution of the material is heartily supported. However, this action will be having both
positive and negative repercussions. In one hand the ban can reduce the threat of the
environment by lessening the risk of releasing methane and other toxic gases in the
atmosphere, reducing plastic land filling, choking of the drainage system leading to flood and
finally affecting the habitat of the animals and birds. On the other hand it will affect the
production system of these plastic bags (Sintim & Flury, 2017). The bag ban initiative of the
government firstly affect the companies which manufacture plastic bags. The prohibition of
the disposable bags can diminish the demands and eliminate the manufacturing jobs of plastic
bags. Similar this prohibition fusing plastic bags during shopping or any daily use can affect
the household because the habit of going without bag for daily grocery items is highly
prominent. Therefore if the government prohibits the use of plastic bags abruptly, then the
people will be facing most inconvenience during shopping daily.
In addition to these, sudden prohibition of plastic bags can affect the packing of the
food items from the restaurants or for that matter the processes food items which we buy in
the grocery stores like oil, milk and fruit juices. Plastic is also used in the packaging of
medicines and other important items which may be affected if not packaged with plastics
(Webster & Alghamdi, 2015). However, these repercussions can bring a potent challenge
among the common people because the replaced of plastic bags with paper bags or recyclable
bags.
Therefore, I would like to draw attention of the government to take necessary stapes
so that replacement of plastics bags can be promoted before this prohibiting.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
Name

3EDITORIAL LETTER
References:
Sintim, H. Y., & Flury, M. (2017). Is biodegradable plastic mulch the solution to
agriculture’s plastic problem?.
Webster, J., & Alghamdi, A. (2015). Use of plastic adhesive drapes during surgery for
preventing surgical site infection. Cochrane database of systematic reviews, (4).