Comments on: China’s Plastic Bag Law Takes Effect http://www.natural-environment.com/blog/2008/06/01/china-implements-new-plastic-bag-law-today/ Blogging for the Natural Environment Thu, 09 Feb 2012 03:07:57 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7.1 hourly 1 By: Andrew Cheng http://www.natural-environment.com/blog/2008/06/01/china-implements-new-plastic-bag-law-today/comment-page-1/#comment-6369 Andrew Cheng Thu, 24 Mar 2011 08:03:52 +0000 http://www.natural-environment.com/blog/2008/06/01/china-implements-new-plastic-bag-law-today/#comment-6369 I've been living in Shanghai, China for the past 10 years and coincidentally, I work in the plastic recycling business. Anyway, it's been almost 3 years since China started the ban on plastic bags in supermarkets and to be completely honest, I don't know if this has decreased the overall usage of plastic bags, here's why: 1) Supermarkets very often give away plastic tote bags as gifts. 2) Plastic bags can be very cheaply purchased in supermarkets. Around 3 cents (USD) for medium sized grocery bags. 4.5 cents (USD) for large grocery bags. 3) Plastic bags are still available where the vegetables and fruits are. Many people actually pull extra ones to store their groceries in after checkout. I’ve been living in Shanghai, China for the past 10 years and coincidentally, I work in the plastic recycling business. Anyway, it’s been almost 3 years since China started the ban on plastic bags in supermarkets and to be completely honest, I don’t know if this has decreased the overall usage of plastic bags, here’s why:

1) Supermarkets very often give away plastic tote bags as gifts.
2) Plastic bags can be very cheaply purchased in supermarkets. Around 3 cents (USD) for medium sized grocery bags. 4.5 cents (USD) for large grocery bags.
3) Plastic bags are still available where the vegetables and fruits are. Many people actually pull extra ones to store their groceries in after checkout.

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