Thursday July 9, 2009, 10:03 pm
Hong Kong - Plastic bag use in Hong Kong has dropped by 85 per cent in the first two days since the introduction of a 6-US-cents tax on every bag, a survey released Thursday showed. The number of plastic bags handed out in 18 supermarkets during a peak shopping hour before and after the introduction of the ban fell from 2,742 to 403, the environmental group Greeners Action said.

At the same time, the group said, the number of people who used their own bags or did not ask for plastic bags at checkout stands at the surveyed supermarkets grew by 56 per cent.

A tax of 50 Hong Kong cents has been levied since Tuesday in about 2,000 shops, including every major supermarket, in the high-rise city of 7 million people.

Before the tax, Hong Kong people were using an average of about 1,200 plastic bags each a year, or about three plastic bags a day per person.

About 30 million plastic bags a day are thrown away in the city, accounting for about 6 per cent of the 17,500 tons of rubbish sent to landfill sites every day.

Previous voluntary attempts to introduce charges on plastic bags in supermarkets had flopped with one chain dropping a pilot scheme because of fierce opposition from customers.

Unveiling the results of its study Thursday, Greeners Action said the tax might have to be increased when the economy rebounds if it is to remain effective.

Friday July 10, 2009, 8:58 pm
Thanks Teri, this is great!

Saturday July 11, 2009, 3:26 am
I've noticed that a few stores in my area (Arizona) are starting to give you $'s back if you're bringing in your own cloth bags! It's a small step in the right direction....bujt nothing like the advancement of Hong Kong. It's good to see someone's understanding the damage to the environment the plastic bags are doing - even if you're recycling them. I know they're probably not carrying home 10 cloth bags of groceries at a time like I do, but I've investede in many cloth bags lately so I can have them stuffed in both our cars. You'd be surprised at the number of people who see them and tell me, "Gee....I should be doing that, too!: (And I hope they do!)

Get with it, America.....it's time to take charge of our future in more than just green cars!

Saturday July 11, 2009, 6:58 am
What I don't get is why the US won't due this also??? If Hong Kong can do it, we can!!! I already use the bags that I take with me to the stores, and never get plastic anymore. Americans tend to be lazy, and rather than spend 5 bucks for 5 of the reusable bags, and then take them in (by the way they are stronger, they hold more stuff, they don't break and leave you with your groceries all over the parking lot), and use them. Once I did it a few times, I loved them, and now it is just become a good habit. They go with me where ever I go, and I do not have to have 30 small plastic bags to try and get into my car, and then into my house. I can buy 100.00 plus in groceries and get 3 or 4 bags that are nice and neat and easy to carry. They need to tax the plastic ones here also. If people are too lazy to use them, then they should pay a few cents on them to compensate the destruction the plastic ones cost our environment in land fills.

Saturday July 11, 2009, 4:21 pm
Here in Holland they also charge you in the supermarket or the bakery if you do not have your own bag.

Saturday July 11, 2009, 9:10 pm
I have at least 3-4 reusable shopping bags in my car at all times. It's so easy - once something becomes a habit, it's ingrained. Not inconvenient at all. Now, the idea of carring my purchases in a plastic bag is almost repulsive to me.

My supermarket used to give a 5¢ rebate for each cloth shopping bag used, but they stopped. I think now, they should CHARGE 5¢ for each plastic bag they have to dispense.

Saturday July 11, 2009, 11:48 pm
Pam, you are so correct. America is lazy and it scares me to think that paper bags will become more wanted and people will not use their own.

Sunday July 12, 2009, 10:42 am
Ha ha ha, seems very clear why this isn't (and perhaps never will be) done in the US. It's a three letter word: TAX. A few decades ago you could read this billboard almost all over London: No sex please, we're British. Now here's the American variant: No TAX please, we're Americans. Every single penny folk here in the US can pinch out of the tax collector's Big Bag will be an occasion for celebration. Believe me. And it's a mystery to me just why especially in the US.

Sunday July 12, 2009, 11:03 am
Sadly it's the only thing that works. If you tell people their lifestyle is killing their environment they think you are talking about someone else. We have trouble realizing that our consumerism habits will destroy our children's environment even as we drive them to the mall in our SUV.

Sunday July 12, 2009, 3:05 pm
I made a donation to some society for Article Wildlife and they sent me three shopping bags as a thank you gift. The bags are beautiful decorated with polar bears, Every time I use them they draw a lot of attention and comments. They call attention to the cause and the society that sent they to me. They are much bigger than most of the similar shopping bags and they can carry my whole week's grocery shopping home. That saves the environment too because now I make it a point to plan a week's shopping at one time thus saving gasoline.

Sunday July 12, 2009, 7:33 pm
Plastic bags are made of fossil fuels, so if they were banned that would reduce oil use.