Science - Environment - Why should we get rid of plastic bags?

Plastic bags take ages to disintegrate but you're right the oil when burned is a different ecological problem. You are also right that the government are just looking for a way to rip off the public but the real question is why do you sound so surprised about it? It has been happening ever since humanity has existed and will continue. Those who rule exploit those who are ruled and will do so safely until they become too greedy and those who are exploited feel there is no alternative but to rise up and overthrow the corrupt government. Then the government that is put in place of the one that is overthrown will start the process again.

I suggest you watch Animal Farm it is meant as anti communist propaganda but the message applies equally to all forms of government in my opinion.

In the question you imply that the amount of oil production is constant. If some of it were not turned into plastic bags we would not need to extract as much to meet our needs. The oil reserves would last longer and the consequent annual CO2 production would be reduced.

The other side of plastic is that in combustion it can produce some very unpleasant chemicals such as PCBs and dioxins. Human society has many better options for carrying things than bags made from non-renewable resources and when using oil to make bags can result in causing dangerous contamination for future generations we really need to think of something other than the cheapest option.

They don't bio-degrade, it's as simple as that. The use of oil for other uses means we can extend the amount of time before it runs out - and oil not used in plastic bags can be more usefully used in other plastics (hopefully), and used in a way which can be recycled.

Well the primary environmental concern is and probably always will be finding a place for all of our garbage. Plastic bags are not biodegradable like paper bags are, so it just contributes to the problem more. You are right though, nearly everything we do contributes to the demise of the planet. At this point it is choosing the lesser of evils.

your right. but there should be an alternative to plastic bags, maybe a strong biodegradable fibre. then its strong but can rot down in under a few years.

Id say its a con, probably because of the use of the oil but if they where not made of oil then there shouldn't be tax.

Rob is right, plastic bags cause the major problem of Dioxins, such as polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins which is damaging to health, some holiday cities totally ban plastic bags usage.

Dioxins are stable in nature but accumulate as they move up the human food chain, known as the bio-magnification.

Major sources of dioxin emission and contamination such as fire at landfill sites, waste incineration of chlorine-containing substances such as PVC, fossil fuel in combustion engines etc, also of course metal production, as well as drinking water sources.

Plastic degrade slowly, but rain find their way in soil and organic habitat, fish for example.

The use of these materials meant that all humans receive at least a very small daily dose of dioxin, and absorbed primarily through dietary intake from fat in live-stocks (or meat to you). All thanks to oil in Iraq for example and my car now I hardly use.

In December 2008 in Ireland dioxin levels in Pork were disclosed to have between 80 - 200 times the legal limit set by EU. Thus all Irish pork products were withdrawn from sale both nationwide and worldwide.

It amazes me that of all the things that are collected for re-cycling, plastic is still predominantly chucked in the bin for the tip or incineration even though the plastic has to be marked showing its re-cycling method..

we shouldn't get rid of them we should re-use them and re-cycle them because sometimes when people throw away plastic bags it goes in the sea and animals that live there think t is their food and eat it and sometimes they can't digest it and die. We should look after our environment.!!!!