by: Melisa Nirmala Dewi
It is not something new when we did a transaction in the supermarket cashier, we’re often offered with a reusable bag for alternative use of a plastic bag. Nevertheless, does this alternative is environmentally friendly?
Shopping centers are now rife offering reusable bags instead of plastic bags
Source: Thought (1)
The single-use plastic is an issue that already being concerned amongst environmentalists or organizations that focused on an environmental issue. Single-use plastic or also known as kresek amongst Indonesian regularly made from a thermoplastic polymer, HDPE, latex, polyethylene, synthetic polymer, and other plastic ingredients that difficult to decompose.
From the ten types of waste that are most vulnerable to polluting the oceans, one of which is included in a plastic bag (2). If an object cannot decompose completely on land, it will eventually end up in the sea which is often found in objects made from plastic. Plastic will be more difficult to decompose and even permanently will not experience decomposition when in water. The particles that float in the water will later become microfiber or smaller plastic debris that are millimeters in size and are vulnerable to life-threatening at sea.
As one of the efforts to reduce disposable plastic, there is an affirmation of regulations that prohibit the use of disposable plastic bags in shopping center. These regulations in Indonesia are not carried out simultaneously, but decided gradually depending on the determination of the rules set by the government in their respective regions.
As carried out by the DKI Jakarta Provincial Government stipulates Governor Regulation No. 142 of 2019 concerning the prohibition on the use of disposable plastic bags (3). Instead, each shopping center is required to provide environmentally friendly or re-use shopping bags. Materials from re-use shopping bags that we usually find in shopping center are usually made of polypropylene which has a similarity to HDPE plastic but is sturdy so that it can be used repeatedly.
Reusable Bag=100% Environmentally Friendly?
Organic cotton production is often debated because the process is time-consuming and causes higher greenhouse gas emissions than other types of agriculture
Source: Quartz (2)
However, over time, there is a debate about how effective is this reuse bag to be an environmentally friendly alternative to plastic bags? Of course, this depends on each user how much they reuse the reuse bag.
Based on research from the Danish Study in 2018, polypropylene reuse bags can ideally be used 37 times to reduce the impact of environmental damage. While other bags made of paper are used 43 times and cotton cloth bags can be used as many as 7,100 times (4).
Need to know that, the repeated use of reuse bags also has the aim to reduce the direct impact of carbon footprints that can cause global warming. An example is reuse bags made from organic cotton which is more susceptible to damage the environment in the manufacturing process than non-organic cotton (5). When judging from the manufacturing process itself, even though labeled 'organic', organic cotton has an organic yield that is 30% lower than non-organic cotton and takes more time in terms of maintenance and provision of land which in the process can produce levels of greenhouse gas emissions which is higher than other agricultural production. Ideally, the use of organic cotton bags alone is used as much as 20,000 times the use to reduce the risk of environmental pollution (6).
Maximize the Use of Reusable Bag
Start making it a habit to use reuse bags as part of your daily activities, not just following trends
Source: Man of Many (3)
Although calls for a ban on the use of plastic bags and the recommendation to use reusable bags are announced, research shows that approximately 40% of people who shop at supermarkets often forget to bring their shopping bags so they are forced to keep using plastic bags (4). Apart from the controversy, of course the use of reuse bags can be very effective in reducing environmental damage and plastic waste, but keep in mind, the use of reuse bags must also be effective.
If it is only used once or twice and only ends up as a garbage container, the level of vulnerability in damaging the environment will certainly be higher than a disposable plastic bag. Use as many reuse bags as you can until the bag is completely damaged.
Take advantage of bags at home that if it could be used as a container or shopping bag as a substitute for plastic, do not just leave it piled up at home. It is time we can be more aware to be able to contribute significantly to reducing the impact of environmental damage, one of which is by utilizing the use of re-use bags more effectively.
Sources:
(3) https://fokus.tempo.co/read/1358543/larangan-kantong-plastik-1-juli-asosiasi-pusat-belanja-keberatan
(6) https://qz.com/1585027/when-it-comes-to-climate-change-cotton-totes-might-be-worse-than-plastic/
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