Plastic, bags, are, acceptable, but, paper, bags, are, not?

Surprise! That is what environment and forest minister Jairam Ramesh has to say about paper bags. They cannot be an alternative to plastic bags because paper comes from trees and more paper used is more trees felled.

Plastic itself is a chemically inert substance, used world-wide for packaging and is not per-se hazardous to health and environment. Recycling of plastic, if carried out as per approved procedures and guidelines, may not be an environmental or health ha zard,” Environment and Forest Minister, Mr Jairam Ramesh said in Lok Sabha. (Business Line)

I think that is only fair. Paper bags cannot be an alternative to plastic bags. The minister is actually in favor of plastic bags. There is nothing inherently wrong with plastic bags as they not hazardous. If disposed properly plastic bags can be used.

In addition to the ‘running out of trees’ problem, there are other problems with a paper bag. It cannot be used for items like milk and the paper bags wont sag which means they cannot hold more.

The problem is with the disposal and not with the bag itself. I agree with that. In fact that would be the problem irrespective of whatever bag is used. Since we cannot dispose our waste properly we are looking for a waste which is bio-degradable or waste which takes care of itself - neat.

Thick bio-degradable bags and jute bags can be an alternative until we come up with a way to manage plastic bags.

Chandigarh was the first city in India to ban plastic bags without providing a viable alternative. I have seen Ooty using paper bags instead of plastic bags. This new statements from the minister should put these cities back to where they were.

What can be an alternative to a plastic bag? Or do we need an alternative to plastic bags?