As global awareness of the problems posed by the use of plastic bags increases, local and national governments are beginning to take steps to eliminate their use. Some have instituted taxes on plastic bags, and some have even banned them entirely. Countries that have begun to institute policies that discourage or eliminate the use of disposable bags include the Western nations of England, France, Ireland, Italy, Australia, and the United States; Eastern countries such as China, Bhutan, India, Taiwan, Bangladesh and Singapore; and the African nations of Kenya, Uganda, Eritrea, Somaliland, Rwanda, and South Africa. Shoppers around the world are now carrying reusable shopping bags, and savvy shop owners have gotten in on the action by selling their own branded reusable bags right by the checkouts.

An innovative program in Ireland called “PlasTax” taxes shoppers who opt for plastic bags, and has resulted in a whopping 90% decline in plastic bag use since the program began in 2002. Translated into units, This equates to one billion fewer plastic bags put into circulation each year. According to the program, the money raised by taxing plastic bags even has an ecological purpose: funding environmental initiatives. The PlasTax has been so successful that other governments have followed suit, making reusable shopping bags the norm and plastic bags the exception.

In some countries, laws regulating the thickness of the bags have been implemented, such as China. To combat garbage and oil waste, the state council of that country prohibited the use of bags smaller than 24/1000 of a millimeter. The Chinese government also requires retailers to charge for thicker bags. In the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh, all polythene bags are banned from both production and use, and those caught carrying them could be jailed for up to seven years or fined $2,000. In 2003, Indian politicians proclaimed that bags interfere with soil health and create unsightly litter. Outright bans have also been favored in Paris, San Francisco, England, Australia, Singapore and Bangladesh.

The recent ban on plastic bags in San Francisco prohibits large grocery stores and drugstore chains from using plastic bags. Paper bags and biodegradable bags have taken their place, and the use of reusable bags is encouraged. Other cities considering bans include Austin, Annapolis, Bakersfield, Boston, New Haven and Phoenix. While some view these bans as positive in that overall pollution is reduced by keeping non-biodegradable waste out of the environment and CO2 emissions from its production out of the air, others argue that the bans do not significantly affect the amount of disposable bags in use. , whether they are paper or compostable bags, both of which have their environmental drawbacks. It’s important to understand that the San Francisco ban, while a start, is really only a partial ban. Thousands of small businesses will continue to be allowed to distribute plastic bags of any kind. In general, consumers themselves have more power to effect change simply by shopping with their own reusable bags.