Survey: Eliminating plastic bags – possible or not?

[Scott]

The government has a plan to greatly reduce plastic, including a plan by 7-11 to stop using plastic bags at 137 stores initially in a trial for complete removal of plastic bags from regular use.   Plastic bags will continue to be used in limited situations.  

 

In your opinion do you believe this will work?  

 

Please feel free to leave a comment.

 

For further reading:

 

 

[30la]

Until there are people who think they can't survive without their plastic (unfortunately they are so many), it won't be possible to eliminate it!

[recom273]

The answer is all 3 - there’s no chance of success if other measures aren’t introduced.

 

A big stationary store in out city has just introduced a no bags policy overnight. I walked around picking up various supplies, paid and was passed the bundle - I asked for a bag and was told no bags. 
 

I ended up unpacking everything jamming as much as I could into pockets and wearing the rolls of tape up my sleeve for the ride home.

 

I agree there is no time like the present, but this is an example of “no thought given” it needs education and alternatives. How about, as it has been in Malaysia for at least 6 years or so, not immediately giving a bag but asking the customer if they need one, plant the seed. Charge for bags in Big C, educate the cashiers not to double bag everything or the security who think you are going to steal everything when you carry an empty backpack.

 

This issue is so deep, banning bags in some 7-11 wont even touch the surface, it’s just another photo op. 

[samsensam]

 

the government needs to take a lead and have a plan instead of just making noise, example; in order to reduce the use of plastic bags in the uk shops had to charge for them; part of the price covered the shops' costs and the rest went to the government to be used, i believe, in environmentally friendly initiatives. this change was well publicised, well organised, transparent and effective; plastic bag usage went down 80% in the first six months and continues to reduce.

 

all you see here is the screaming headline 'NO to plastic bags', no overall strategy, no coherent plan, no consistency, no organisation, no thought of potential addition benefits, and you can bet quite a lot of people not bothering.

[worgeordie]

Well it's definitely going to benefit the retailers,

just think all that money they are going to save,

extra profit, it's a good thing to get rid of plastic

bags,and that would be a lot easier if they could

supply paper bags,but it looks like that will never happen.

regards Worgeordie

[DrTuner]

Possible yes, probable no. Unless they introduce caning. Thais are too stubborn to change anything unless forced to do so.

[Matzzon]

It´s like fighting stupidity. When everything else is gone, there will only be plastic and stupidity left.

[lampangguy]

It will work if shops don't even have plastic bags on hand to use. Have a public education campaign with a target date, and on that date, no more plastic bags.....of course it will only work in the major chains. Cannot expect the market sellers to follow..

 

[Golden Triangle]

If the majority of the population have the same mentality as some members on here, then NO!!

 

Or will it be a case of throwing a hissy fit at the checkout, or pulling out a gun or knife and threatening the cashier until you are supplied with your bags ?

 

It has to start somewhere, this country is drowning in plastic, the government need a coherent plan with constant advertising to ram the message home, but we all know that that won't happen.

Edited November 25, 2019 by Golden Triangle
Spelling

[Fairynuff]

As awareness spreads amongst Thai people the likelihood that in time it will happen increases. The only ones left eventually will be a few old dinosaurs still demanding plastic bags at Family Mart, then straight back to being negative in a forum just like this.

[canuckamuck]

Obviously the consumption of plastic is going to go down world wide. Not many special interests are against it. But there will be a point where we will have to admit that a certain amount plastic is here to stay for many reasons.

 

[Emdog]

People respond to incentives. Keep the plastic bags available but charge 5 or 10 baht for each & use 80% of the price for cleanup fund. Using "It's the right thing to do" argument will go nowhere with 95% of the people I would guess.

So... is it possible? Yes

Is it probable? Unlikely

[wombat]

in the land of the plastic bag milkshake, not a chance.

[Crossy]

Like the farm chemical ban - there needs to be a viable and available alternative to the easy plastic bags.

 

When I was a nipper (not that long ago) we used to get brown paper carrier bags, complete with string handles to transport our shopping.

 

We rarely go shopping on a whim and Madam always has a couple of re-usable bags which contain (neatly folded) plastic bags from previous visits. These get used even when bags are being handed out.

 

[wombat]

27 minutes ago, Fairynuff said:

As awareness spreads amongst Thai people the likelihood that in time it will happen increases. The only ones left eventually will be a few old dinosaurs still demanding plastic bags at Family Mart, then straight back to being negative in a forum just like this.

there are bio-degradable alternatives.
given the direction the country is going it won't be long before they become available imho

 

[4675636b596f75]

7/11 is my primary source for small bags we use to dispose of the cat dookies from the litterbox.  I haven't purchased small bags in years thanks to the cashiers handing them out willy nilly even if you don't ask for it. 

 

There is nothing more satisfying than getting bags bagged into other bags.  

[noosard]

Eliminating pastic bags is not possible any where in the world

Reducing the use of plastic bags is and should be encouraged

The big stores will stop the use of   replace these once bags with multiple use bags

This has been done in lots of countries already

So remember to carry your own bags

My wife will sell you a multi reuseable woven plastic basket

[Chazar]

The bags arent the problem its the  Thais  dumping them everywhere that is

[Dumbastheycome]

34 minutes ago, wombat said:

there are bio-degradable alternatives.
given the direction the country is going it won't be long before they become available imho

 

All good . But what about the massive increase in those nasty lil foil bags the  munchies come  in?

Because there will be a side market .lol

[natway09]

Many of the comments are a little silly. Plastic usage affects us all even your milk container, coke, soft drinks.

As stated before it is not the plastic that is the problem,, it is the human race of idiots not disposing of it properly. In saying that I would like to see more effort by producers to use recyclable containers of glass (or recyclable plastic) & charge a hefty deposit.

The recycling in this country anyway will be taken care of by the young kids who can return for some lollies as we did

[brain150]

It is a stupid idea just like most of the extinction rebellion !

It's all BS and planned to take control of all resources by the powers that should never be.

 

You can read this from the Club of Rome !!! It's a pretty old plan and not secret at all.

 

But people will fall for it because they don't think !

All people do is repeat the propaganda BS over and over again.

[Dumbastheycome]

37 minutes ago, 4675636b596f75 said:

7/11 is my primary source for small bags we use to dispose of the cat dookies from the litterbox.  I haven't purchased small bags in years thanks to the cashiers handing them out willy nilly even if you don't ask for it. 

 

There is nothing more satisfying than getting bags bagged into other bags.  

Have  you never considered  scooping and  flushing?  Cat  crapola in a plastic bag set to last a long time in a  land fill?

[from the home of CC]

56 minutes ago, canuckamuck said:

Obviously the consumption of plastic is going to go down world wide. Not many special interests are against it. But there will be a point where we will have to admit that a certain amount plastic is here to stay for many reasons.

 

 the same point that was reached in the west which has had these measures for quite a while now..

[rickb]

I fully support any effort to reduce the amount of plastic bags used.  This Thai government seems to like to give handouts to Thai citizens.  Why can't the government give each family 3 or 4 large canvas bags, with handles, to use when buying groceries.  The bags can easily be made in Thailand and obviously can be re-used many times.  They could also be sold are a reasonable price so that people can have more than what is given for free, or they can replace old canvas bags that have worn out or been damaged or lost.  Then, after the free bags have been handed out, totally eliminate all plastic bags being used in any store.  People have been buying from Macro for decades and Macro has never used plastic bags, unless you want to buy them yourself and use.  I don't hear Macro customers complaining.  They just accept the policy and deal with it.

Edited November 25, 2019 by rickb

[4675636b596f75]

31 minutes ago, Chazar said:

The bags arent the problem its the  Thais  dumping them everywhere that is

A silver lining in a sea of fog.  Why blame the individual when you can blame a whole class?

[4675636b596f75]

20 minutes ago, Dumbastheycome said:

Have  you never considered  scooping and  flushing?  Cat  crapola in a plastic bag set to last a long time in a  land fill?

You try it.  When in the middle of the night your toilet no longer flushes, and your family wants to know where they will go poo, let me know how that works for you.

 

I just realized, when you can no longer flush, go to 7/11 so your family can then *$&$# in a bag.

Edited November 25, 2019 by 4675636b596f75

[unamazedloso]

i cant have a coke in a paper bag now can i ???

they clearly didnt think this through.

[gamesgplayemail]

And then ? how people throw their trash ? they buy plastic bags ? Ridiculous and only idiots believe in this.

 

 

[gamesgplayemail]

CP also invested in trash plastic bags company ?

I understand that they will make even more money by not giving plastic bags: they save, and then they sell bin bags because people will need them to throw their trash.

Clearly a scam !

The problem with plastic bags is that people are idiots and sometimes throw them without using them as a trash.

What is the problem with plastic bags if they are burn with the trash ?

Ridiculous. I will keep shopping where I can get plastic bags.

[NoshowJones]

2 hours ago, lampangguy said:

It will work if shops don't even have plastic bags on hand to use. Have a public education campaign with a target date, and on that date, no more plastic bags.....of course it will only work in the major chains. Cannot expect the market sellers to follow..

 

"Have a public education campaign".  What?? In Thailand????