Plastic bags are found everywhere. Every shop keeper eagerly hands over the goods we purchase in plastic bags. They are manufactured in various sizes and thickness and very convenient to carry being light. We are generally not bothered to know the amount of the damage to the environment these bags cause. Plastic bags are made from non renewable natural source petroleum. These bags are also one of the major reasons for dwindling natural resources. They are called polyethylene or polythene bags. These Polythene bags are agents of air pollution, cancer, skin diseases etc. and have made the world’s clean environment as a pile of garbage on earth. Its use is like a slow poison in daily life and seems more dangerous than an atom bomb. They are not biodegradable. They last 1000 years on land and 450 years in water. The melting point for high density polythene is 120-130 degree centigrade and for low density polythene the melting point is 105-115 degree centigrade. These bags are not degradable unless exposed to ultra violet rays from the Sun.Black colour polythene shopping bags emit chemicals(carcinogens) when burnt.

The plastic bags are available in various sizes and thickness. About 80 million tons of plastic bags are manufactured in the world. Every day, we blissfully carry edible items in attractive polythene bags to home, totally unaware that these have harmful bacteria to find an easy way into the body with routine meals.

We should become aware of the hazards of using polythene. In tea-stalls, restaurants, co-operative societies  and Super markets etc., polythene cups, plates and bags are used in plenty. Have we not become accustomed to use polythene from eating to drinking? Usage of poly cups can be a cause of ulcer. Plastic bags get accumulated in homes. These bags are thrown out in the garbage bin. Polythene bags dumped near household provide a place for mosquitoes to breed, which cause dengue fever, filariasis and malaria. Polythene wrapped fish, meat and vegetables get infected by anaerobic bacteria. They are light as such they get carried away by wind and get entangled in trees. They are strewn in beaches, on roads, on footpaths, in the ponds, rivers, fences etc. They choke up the drainage. It is said that around 100,000 marine mammals die each year in Pacific Ocean alone because of plastic bags. Many birds get entangled in plastic bags on trees and die.

The use of plastic bags is one of the reasons for the havoc caused during Mumbai floods on 26th July 2005. The drainage system completely failed resulting in the drowning of low lying areas of Mumbai. There was water everywhere. About 5000 people are believed to have died. Property worth hundreds of Crores of Rupees got damaged. Mumbai life came to a stand still for a few days. Bangladesh faced the same situation much earlier in 1988 and 1998 when 2/3 of the country got submerged. Recently the big retailer Old Navy handed over the goods purchased in a cloth bag to the customers. This change in approach is most welcome.

Poly bags are the mother of pollution in every corridor of life. These must be banned in the interest of national health. Instead of poly bags, we must use paper, cloth or jute materials to create a “polythene- free environment”.

Remedial Measures:

  1. Bangladesh banned the use of plastic bags in 2002.
  2. In Ireland a tax on plastic bags was charged.
  3. Like many countries in Asia and Europe India also must eleminate the use of plastic bags.
  4. We can carry cloth bags or recycled paper bags from our homes.
  5. Paper bags carry more quantity and weight. They are also convenient to carry.
  6. All provisional stores and shopping malls should only give recycled paper bags or cloth bags to their customers.