Charge vs ban

WITH A requirement for consumers to pay for each plastic bag they use at the shop (bags which were previously free), they are less likely to throw away the plastic bags after one use and may, instead, reuse the bags or bring their own reusable ones. Charges are imposed mainly by having a requirement by law for retailers to charge customers, or by imposing a tax on plastic bags, resulting in retailers passing the cost on to customers.

In general, the implementation of a bag charge is accompanied by the promotion of, and increased availability of, more sustainable alternatives such as reusable shopping bags and biodegradable ones. Following the introduction of a five-pence charge (J$8.40) on shoppers for single-use plastic bags in 2015, England experienced an 85 per cent drop in plastic bag usage within six months.

Wales saw as much as a 96 per cent decline since the imposition of a tax on plastic bags, while Scotland saw a fall in the consumption by 80 per cent.

A ban will reduce plastic bag use almost entirely (over several years) as it makes the sale and use of the bags illegal. It can however, result in significant resistance, particularly from retailers. Its implementation is usually accompanied by the introduction of more sustainable alternatives, much like in the implementation of plastic bag charges.

TREND SETTERS

In July 2016, Antigua and Barbuda became the first Caribbean nation to impose a ban on plastic bags. The country prohibited the importation and use of plastic bags, except for those used for garbage collection, with the government pledging to distribute 120,000 reusable bags. Prior to the implementation of the ban, the Cabinet decided to waive taxes and duties on the importation of reusable shopping bags to encourage supermarkets to support the initiative and make the bags more affordable. The move was embraced by major supermarkets, who joined the government in distributing one reusable bag to each customer.