The article in the url below presents the 'war on plastics' from the perspective of those companies that produce the plastics:
"The backlash against single-use plastic has engulfed straws, bags and takeout containers, but the plastics industry is fighting back, arguing alternatives can be worse for the environment and disruptive for businesses. Trade groups are spending more on lobbying, reaching out to consumers and promoting recycling amid mounting regulation. Their message: Plastic bans target only waste and don't take account of environmental negatives associated with raw materials and the production of alternatives."
What I found interesting were the graphics in the story, which compare the carbon footprint of various alternative types of bags to the single-use plastic bag. For example:
"Cotton bags must be used 131 times for their carbon footprint to drop below that of a single-use plastic bag."
In other words (putting symbolic value aside), if we assume, generously, that cotton shopping bags are used twice a week, then that equates to over two years' worth of consistent use before these bags make more sense than single-use plastic bags. And that presumes the plastic bag is only used once, rather than multiple times, in reality. Similarly, bags made from "more durable plastic" must be used 11 times before they beat the single-use plastic bag, while a paper bag must be used 3 times. In other words, while the article does not gloss over the extent to which plastic pollutes our environment, it also questions whether alternatives are necessarily less polluting. Nevertheless, plastic bags have received a great deal of attention from those focused on imposing specific outcomes:
"A United Nations report shows 127 countries of 192 reviewed had adopted bans or other laws to manage plastic bags as of July. New York recently joined California in passing a state ban on single-use plastic bags. Advocates say bans cut plastic consumption and litter without a significant burden on consumers and businesses."
Firms, of course, might disagree with that last thought – protesting they are often caught in the middle of their various stakeholders, who are pulling them in different directions:
"McDonald's Corp. scrapped plastic straws in the U.K. last year but now faces a backlash. More than 44,000 people recently signed a petition calling for the fast-food chain to bring back plastic straws, complaining that paper replacements go soggy and make it hard to drink milk shakes."
In short, like many aspects of the CSR/sustainability debate, the article demonstrates that working out which outcomes create the optimal social value is complicated.
Take care
David
David Chandler
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In Plastics War, the Industry Fights Back
In Plastics War, the Industry Fights Back
By Saabira Chaudhuri
May 21, 2019
The Wall Street Journal
Late Edition – Final
B5
