Plastic bag ban - is it REALLY eco friendly?

Following Chandigarh, the state of Punjab too is considering a complete ban on plastic bags.  While Chandigarh has already gone ahead with the ban on plastic bags, the Punjab assembly debated a resolution on ban of plastic bags last week.

The issue remains - will plastic bags be replaced by paper bags?

• As has been the experience in Chandigarh, paper bags which had virtually disappeared from the scene have staged a massive comeback. By all standards, Paper bags are less eco friendly than plastic bags. Consider this
• Paper bags consume 4 times more energy during production than plastic bags.
• Paper bags produce 70 % more air pollutants than plastic bags.
•  Paper bags produce 50 times more water pollutants than plastic bags.
• A kilo of paper requires 85 times more energy for recycling than a kilo of plastic.
• Paper bags weigh more plastic bags and consume more space in landfills.
• Finally, paper bags are not being decomposed because modern urban land fills at least in the US are designed in such a manner that they get little water and light. Hence most paper bags do not decompose.

A detailed comparative analysis was conducted by The Washington Post and it can be found here.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/graphic/2007/10/03/GR2007100301385.html

I do not blame the policy makers for joining the “ban plastic bag” bandwagon. Almost 11 years ago, the newspaper where I was working asked me to run a “kick plastic” campaign seeking a ban on plastic bags. In my youthful enthusiasm, I wrote a three part series. It took the city administration a decade to ban the plastic bag.

However, by 2009, greater research and for me greater access to such research has ensured that I am not enamoured by the ban on plastic bag if it is replaced by paper.

But what is unfortunate is that policy makers, both officers and political class are advocating a ban on plastic bag despite evidence to the contrary.