Positive indicators on Plastic Bags

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Richard
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Positive indicators on Plastic Bags

Post by Richard »

The News today announced there was almost a 50% drop in plastic bags found on beaches this year compared to last.

Good news. Personally I'd have charged 10p for them, but the signs are good.

At Dungeness I occasionally see a Gull or other larger bird flying along with a plastic bag in it's mouth.
Breaks my heart because you know that Gull has probably a 50/50 chance of surviving the day.

Let's hope there are similar statistics out soon regarding our Rivers.

It was on SkyTV News, but here's an article from THE GUARDIAN

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lancashire lass
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Re: Positive indicators on Plastic Bags

Post by lancashire lass »

)like( I stopped using the cheap supermarket bags long before the 5p charge - I think Tesco used to give you green points if you recycled or used your own bags which went on the Clubcard.

I do find it amazing how such a small charge had such a large impact on shoppers - it's hard to believe how many have baulked at paying just 5p a bag LOL
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Re: Positive indicators on Plastic Bags

Post by Spreckly »

There are still plastic bags chucked out of cars onto the grass verges and fields surrounding our village. Why on earth can't they take them home? I do not notice a decrease in the amounts.

We always took large shopping bags into the supermarkets, and also have two fold away smaller ones which we take for odds and ends in town.
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Re: Positive indicators on Plastic Bags

Post by Richard »

The Beach report is as far as I know, the only indicator so far.

Going to Supermarkets I do see more people taking their own bags in nowadays and most Stores have a replace plan for their 'eco friendly' bags.

As you say spreckers, it's about rivers, roads and town centres.

I think you can educate the majority but you'll still get the senseless, brainless types with no responsibility at all spoiling it for others.

When there's been a lot of rain here, the River on the other side of the field rises quite a bit.
When the level drops, you're left with bags, plastic bottles and more lining up the high water mark.
Last year I found a bus stop sign on the bank.
The river where I go is two miles downstream from the Town.

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sandy
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Re: Positive indicators on Plastic Bags

Post by sandy »

We used to get quite a few plastic bags flowing down the stream, monday the day of the torrential rain and flooding we had a wheelbarrow and a garden swimming pool arrive under our bridge! In our convenience store people pay for their wares and then ask for a bag as they know we do not have to charge for them }hairout{
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Re: Positive indicators on Plastic Bags

Post by saint-spoon »

To be honest I think that the charge for plastic bags has been successful on the whole. You don’t see so many blowing around the streets and so on. Now we just need a ban on letting helium filled balloons off in commemoration of things and those Chinese lanterns at new year. Both cases are deliberate littering and ask a Leatherback turtle to distinguish between the jellyfish that it eats and a deflated balloon.
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Re: Positive indicators on Plastic Bags

Post by Meanqueen »

My next door neighbour buys the 10p bags for life from tes&co. They are returnable when they fall to pieces, get a free one. My neighbour couldn't care less about the environment, his bags go straight in the grey bin for landfill, along with all the other recyclable materials. How do I know this? He forgets to put his bin out and I check it and put it out for him if needed. I feel like I ought to remove those bags. So bloomin inconsiderate and lazy.

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Mo
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Re: Positive indicators on Plastic Bags

Post by Mo »

Very true. Helium balloons and fire lanterns are pretty - but not at the expense of farmers and wildlife.
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Re: Positive indicators on Plastic Bags

Post by Trev62 »

All news like this is good but a question..................what percentage of the bags washed up are UK sourced? Plastic in all forms is integral to most peoples life styles today just look around you. With the science and knowledge available it is surprising a strong biodegradable product has not yet been invented and put into general use.

Or.......maybe it has and I have missed it???
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Mo
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Re: Positive indicators on Plastic Bags

Post by Mo »

So what do you want - strong or biodegradable. At present (as I understand it) all that 'biodegradable' means is is breaks up into little bits so if it ends up in the environment it is seen as food by small creatures rather than big creatures. And falls to bits if you try to reuse it in the freezer or even just keep it - like blooming snowflakes. Could do without that.
Really biodegr is something like paper - falls apart in the rain though.
Take your own rubber bags to buy fish / meat. (No, can't see it happening yet). It's the little bags not just the carriers that pollute.
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Re: Positive indicators on Plastic Bags

Post by Trev62 »

Biodegradable - (of a substance or object) capable of being decomposed by bacteria or other living organisms and thereby avoiding pollution.

Mo - fully agree, biodegradable to me is something like paper that falls apart in the rain with no detrimental impact on the environment.

Here in Bulgaria the supermarkets still operate the system (that used to be in place in the UK) returnable deposits on glass bottles, maybe in this case a step backwards would be a step forward, glass and paper can be recycled with less impact on the environment than plastics that leech harmful chemicals into the environment at all stages of its use.
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Re: Positive indicators on Plastic Bags

Post by kitla »

I buy rolls of compostable bags for food waste that gets collected with the recycling. They seem as sturdy as any other rubbish bags. Its a shame there aren't more sizes available, I would pay a bit more for them. I suppose they dont have such a long shelf life.
I think the 5p carrier bag charge is a conscience pricker rather than about the money. Besides, nice strong shopping bags that fit lots in & dont break on the way to the car make shopping so much easier. I've been getting them from the farmshop for many years, I've sure some of mine are about 10 years old & still going.
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Richard
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Re: Positive indicators on Plastic Bags

Post by Richard »

kitla wrote:I think the 5p carrier bag charge is a conscience pricker rather than about the money..


Good point, 5p is nothing really so is not the main reason for not using them.
Have to say I was in a Supermarket, realised I forgot my bag and struggled out with loads of things in my arms and pockets.
Didn't want people to see I was using a plastic one !!

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lancashire lass
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Re: Positive indicators on Plastic Bags

Post by lancashire lass »

Richard wrote:Didn't want people to see I was using a plastic one !!


... on the other hand, I might have thought you were just tight with money, you wouldn't even pay 5p

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Richard
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Re: Positive indicators on Plastic Bags

Post by Richard »

True :-D :-D
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