Multiple steps needed to curb plastic bag use

June 1 marked the ninth anniversary of the national ban on plastic carrier bags. The national regulation that came into effect on June 1, 2008, forbids all supermarkets and shops from providing plastic bags for free to customers.

However, a recent People's Daily report says the ban has failed to achieve the expected results, as small shops continue to provide plastic bags for free. As for supermarkets, they do charge customers for the carrier bags, but there is no data indicating their use has been curbed. The only difference the regulation has made is that supermarkets make additional money by selling the carrier bags.

The plastic bags we use daily are made of polyethylene, which in turn is made mainly from petroleum products. These bags pollute the environment, especially soil and water, as they take about 200 years to decompose naturally.