Plastic bag manufacturer out of business

[gftChris]

So the short version is, 'large' shops in the UK are now required by law to charge 5p per plastic carrier bag. The money raised goes to charity. Everyone was in favour, because it was a good cause, helped the environment and prevented some littering.

 

Now, a plastic bag manufacturer has gone out of business as a result of this.

 

Personally, while it's bad for the business and its employees, I don't mind as the benefits far outweigh it. What do y'all think? Knowing this might happen, would you have been in favour of introducing the law?

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-35694164

[gftChris]

BTW, this speaks to a wider point about the side effects of legislation towards more efficient processes, cleaner fuels, automation etc. Another example being train drivers being unemployed should driverless trains be introduced. They're more efficient, don't need to be paid and can run all day without breaks, but then you make a load of people redundant, but for the 'greater good'

[bbedward]

They should have adapted - they didn't.

 

Some places in the US ban plastic bags as well - I believe Austin TX does. I think it's a good thing - I always have hordes of them tucked away in a closet thinking I'll use them, they're always hanging on trees and blowing across the road.

 

You can get a bunch of reusable grocery bags for $10 or less, or just use paper - I don't think it'd kill people.

[gftChris]

I'm not sure how a company that has exclusively made plastic bags for decades can adapt that much?

 

Personally, myself and mrs gft invested in a few fabric bags that collapse down very small, but hold plenty and are very strong. Not super cheap, and probably, given that we would spend 5p per bag, it'll take years to break even, but much preferable to having to carry loads of plastic bags everywhere.

[DieHardBrownsFan]

They should have adapted - they didn't.

 

Some places in the US ban plastic bags as well - I believe Austin TX does. I think it's a good thing - I always have hordes of them tucked away in a closet thinking I'll use them, they're always hanging on trees and blowing across the road.

 

You can get a bunch of reusable grocery bags for $10 or less, or just use paper - I don't think it'd kill people.

Well, they used to use paper bags to bag groceries and phased it out to conserve trees. Giant Eagle has recycle stations in front of their stores to return you bags, although I use mine as mini trash bags.

[jbluhm86]

I'm not sure how a company that has exclusively made plastic bags for decades can adapt that much?

Perhaps they could've switched to biodegradable plastics?

[bbedward]

I'm not sure how a company that has exclusively made plastic bags for decades can adapt that much?

 

Personally, myself and mrs gft invested in a few fabric bags that collapse down very small, but hold plenty and are very strong. Not super cheap, and probably, given that we would spend 5p per bag, it'll take years to break even, but much preferable to having to carry loads of plastic bags everywhere.

 

A company that works with plastics on that large of scale can make other things. I'm pretty sure most companies making the grocery bags are also making packing materials, liners, etc, etc.

 

Or the biodegradable plastic ^ but that may have been cost prohibitive.

 

Regardless, they should have seen the writing on the wall and prepared a plan B.

[VaporTrail]

I wish they would do something like this with the cable companies over here.

[OldBrownsFan]

We bought a bunch of cloth bags and re-use them over and over. Seems like the way to go.

[Erie Dawg]

No one on here recycles them??? So odd!

I'm not willing to pay 5p's for shit.

Recycle them problem solved, no more closets filled with bags and they can be turned into a slide or a frisbee or a ballistic tip for my rifle.

Bottom line I think they are just squeezeing out more p's from you.

[Westside Steve]

One tip of my hat to the conservationists was back when we used to have a deposit on bottles. I wouldn't mind if we had a 5, 10 $0.20 or even A dollar deposit on every plastic or glass bottle sold. One time deposit take them back or throw the suckers away and bums can pick them up off the street and have enough for a bottle of wine.

 

But it really would cut down on waste.

 

 

WSS

[gftChris]

One tip of my hat to the conservationists was back when we used to have a deposit on bottles. I wouldn't mind if we had a 5, 10 $0.20 or even A dollar deposit on every plastic or glass bottle sold. One time deposit take them back or throw the suckers away and bums can pick them up off the street and have enough for a bottle of wine.

 

But it really would cut down on waste.

 

 

WSS

I'd be on board with that for sure.

[DieHardBrownsFan]

One tip of my hat to the conservationists was back when we used to have a deposit on bottles. I wouldn't mind if we had a 5, 10 $0.20 or even A dollar deposit on every plastic or glass bottle sold. One time deposit take them back or throw the suckers away and bums can pick them up off the street and have enough for a bottle of wine.

 

But it really would cut down on waste.

 

 

WSS

NY state has that, some other states as well. I used to go into get my refund on the used beer cans. That I don't miss.

[Browns149]

Does

One tip of my hat to the conservationists was back when we used to have a deposit on bottles. I wouldn't mind if we had a 5, 10 $0.20 or even A dollar deposit on every plastic or glass bottle sold. One time deposit take them back or throw the suckers away and bums can pick them up off the street and have enough for a bottle of wine.

But it really would cut down on waste.

WSS

I think that state up north still has deposit charges for cans