last word 


The last WORD


Italy leads the way with the carrier ban


By Peter Wood M


Peter Wood is from CFN Packaging. For more information visit www.cfnpackaging.co.uk


edia reports claiming that polythene bags have been banned in Italy are wide of the mark. What Silvio Berlusconi’s government has done is ban the use of non-degradable polythene shopping bags once existing stocks have run out. Not best known for their eco-friendly attitudes, Italian shoppers consume more plastic bags than almost anyone else in Europe. The average Italian uses 300 bags every year – that’s 20 billion for the population as a whole. They use one-fifth of all the bags distributed in the EU. A law setting out a gradual ban on non- degradable polythene bags was introduced in 2006 but the original date of January 2010 was missed after opposition from the Italian plastic bags industry. Italy is believed to be the first European state to outlaw the use of non- degradable polythene bags, although Ireland did impose a 0.15 levy on them in 2002 which dramatically reduced their use. The Northern Ireland Executive plans to impose a 15p tax on every disposable non-degradable polythene bag next year. Supporters of the ban in Italy say non- degradable plastic bags are an environmental hazard which use too much oil to produce and which can take decades to break down. The Italian environmental organisation Legambiente estimates that the ban will cut 180,000 tonnes of CO emissions. On the face of it such Draconian intervention by governments is bad news for those companies which manufacture conventional polythene bags. But in reality firms which have moved with the times and anticipated the change towards degradable polythenes are now well placed to benefit from new laws such as this one. Manufacturers now have the technology to produce degradable polythene relatively cheaply. It’s as strong as conventional polythene and it looks and feels no different; but put it in landfill and it degrades harmlessly, leaving behind only


26 Packaging Gazette


traces of inert residues and water. What would be the effect of such a ban in the UK?


The issue came to prominence


here in 2007 when the BBC journalist and broadcaster John Humphreys wrote a call to arms in the Daily Mail railing against the unrestricted use of non-degradable shopping bags. Estimates reckoned that a trillion carrier bags are given away free every year across the globe. At that time some London boroughs and other local authorities began bringing in rules banning shops from giving away free non- degradable carrier bags. Now that urge to ban the bag has evolved from a strictly local matter into an issue exercising national governments. If the UK introduced a ban similar to the one now bothering the shopkeepers of Italy I’m sure we would adjust to it reasonably quickly. British shoppers are used to recycling their shopping bags and M&S customers have had to pay for carrier bags since 2008. It’s hard to see how such a ban can be monitored or enforced but it’s safe to assume that most retailers would abide by the law and offer greener alternatives, which usually means degradable polythene bags or bags made from fabric or paper. The UK plastics industry is ahead of the game where environmental issues are concerned and most manufacturers could switch production to degradable polythene without too many problems. Many manufacturers are already exporting degradable polythene and polythene additives all over the world. Our own company has just sold 1.5 tonnes of degradable polythene additive to Italy and we expect orders to increase. And Italy is not the only overseas market for degradable polythene: large orders are also beginning to come in from Romania, China and India. It’s probable that one day all carrier bags will be manufactured from degradable polythene, and this is no bad thing. Opinion varies about the damage caused to the


environment by polythene bags but few can argue about the benefits of switching wholesale to a degradable alternative if there are no significant disadvantages. Once retailers realise that there is


precious little price differential they will find the switch relatively straightforward, while consumers will not notice the slightest difference: degradable polythene bags are just as strong as


conventional bags and in touch and appearance they are virtually identical. Indeed, there is a strong case to be made in favour of degradable polythene over some alternatives which may on the face of it sound more eco-friendly, such as paper. Many shoppers instinctively see paper bags as a greener alternative to plastic, but in reality paper products are not as kind to the environment as people think. The effects of logging, the extensive use of clean water and the chemical processes required to produce and recycle paper are often overlooked. Meanwhile the economic argument in favour of bioplastics is compelling, even if you leave aside the clear environmental benefits of a polythene product which degrades harmlessly in landfill within 12 to 18 months. Plastic is produced using an efficient process which consumes relatively little energy, and it is easily and efficiently recycled. If plastic were to be replaced in its uses by other materials, rubbish weight would increase by 150%, packaging would weigh 300% more and energy consumed by the packaging industry would increase by 100%. So good luck to governments who plan to ban single-use non- degradable polythene bags. Those who are considering mounting a legal challenge against the ban in Italy are missing the point: degradable polythene is a reality and the long-term aim must be to phase out traditional polythene in all walks of life in favour of the greener alternatives. ■


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