Plastic Bags

The Grocery Box Company Ltd 2014

- It is estimated that the average family will spend £40-£60 on plastic bags each year

- Plastic bags have a bio-degradable period of 1,000 years

- The brown paper bag has a degradable period of approx 1 month

- Plastic bags are the cause of death from 1million + sea birds per year

- 100,000 dolphins, sharks, turtles and Whales are also killed due to plastic bag waste

- Can be made into park benches, decking, fences and playground equipment if recycled



abagslife.com

A Bags Life - Reduce. Recycle. Reuse. - American company

- Public educational campaign that unites non-profits, community and government organisations around the common goal for promoting the three R's

- Reduce - bring your own bags to the shop. This saves money as well as being better for the environment

- Recycle - many larger supermarket shops have the facilities to collect plastic bags which they then recycle. -  Many councils do not collect or separate plastic bags from other recycling and therefore the bags are less recycled that what is possible!

- Reuse - reusing the plastic bags in a variety of ways keeps them out of landfill and stops more plastic bags being in circulation


gov.uk

- The law requires large shops in England to charge 5p for single-use plastic carrier bags - The reason behind this is to discourage the use of plastic bags and to encourage people to reuse bags 

- Retailers who have 250 or more employees are required to charge their customers for a plastic bag

- To avoid being charged, bring your own bags!

- Bags for life are typically more expensive, but they can be reused until they are worn out and then replaced when returned to supermarket

- In 2014 over 7.6 billion single-use plastic bags were given to customers by large supermarkets in England

- That translates to 140 bags per person

- Money from 5p charge does not go to government

- Retailers are expected to donate proceeds to a good cause but this is up to them

- Retails are required to report what the money received is used for 


Over the next 10 years, the benefits of the scheme will include

- an expected overall benefit of £780 million + to UK economy

- £730 million raised for good causes

- £60 million savings in litter clean-up costs

- carbon savings of £13 million 

Researching plastic bags has given me a greater understanding of the facts and figures around the selling and use of plastic carrier bags. This is a product that could benefit the use of effective graphic design.