Designed in the US in 1957, the plastic bags reached the UK stores in the late 1960s. Over a trillion are manufactured worldwide each year, but growth has stabilised and there is now a downward production trend in some countries like Britain. It is an encouraging fact that our use of plastic bags has reduced by 26 per cent last year, to 9.9 billion. 

Plastic bags do not biodegrade and can pollute the environment for several hundred years, whereas degradable bags will disappear after an average of 18 months.

As well as landfills, plastic is polluting the world’s oceans too. In some part of the Pacific, at a density of 46,000 pieces of plastic per square metre, it kills a million seabirds and 100,000 marine mammals per year. Unfortunately nothing can be done to clean-up the existing damage; however we can all stop adding to the problem.

How can we help?

 Stop using plastic bags and switch to the following options:

·     Degradable or Biodegradable bags

·     Turtle string bags

·     Cotton Tote bags

·     Paper bags

Think of the impact over a year if just a small number of people did not use another plastic bag to carry the produce they have purchased during their weekly shopping. For example, if just 20 people from now on used a Tote or Turtle bag over the course of a year, that would be around 1,040 less plastic bags polluting our environment.

Everyone can make a positive difference today!

Resources:

You can find Degradable Carrier bags, Degradable Black Bin Bag, Degradable Pedal Bin Liners, Degradable Swing Bin Liners, Degradable Food Freezer Bags, Degradable Dog Waste/Nappy Sacks, Bag Tubes, Turtle Cotton String Bag, Large Cotton Tote bag and much more eco-friendly items on Wikaniko’s website.