If the production, distribution, the im- and export of those plastic bags is banned by law, the problem is solved. Then polystyrene trays must be banned, and replaced by those made from recycled plants and wood fibers. There should be a school subject on how to recycle and reuse plastic, as well as the disposal in public heavily fined.

3 hours ago, recom273 said:

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. 

137 stores out of ~10500. 

2 minutes ago, Max69xl said:

137 stores out of ~10500. 

all 7/11 stores 01-01-2020

2 hours 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?

Never flush cat poop down the toilet.

 

Quote

Cat feces contains a parasite called Toxoplasma Gondii which is harmful to humans.

It turns out cats are the only "direct host" to carry Toxoplasma gondii and they're the only animals to pass the parasites in their feces. 

That means flushing cat feces in cat litter also flushes those parasites into the water supply.

 

These parasites are not caught in the water treatment plants so go straight into your water supply.

 

Sorry off topic but flushing is not an alternative to plastic bags when dealing with cat poo.

3 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..

 

Well, in addition to the voluntary measures next year, Jan 1st 2021 is the date when single use bags are made illegal.  Of course the success depends a lot on what the penalties are.

 

1 hour ago, 4675636b596f75 said:

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.

How  big is your  cat??????? I did  not suggest to  flush the  entire kitty litter  content!

13 minutes ago, Dumbastheycome said:

How  big is your  cat??????? I did  not suggest to  flush the  entire kitty litter  content!

50 pounds.  My son overfeeds him.  It's ok, kitty gives the kids rides around the condo.  He's very gentle.

I won't shop in a store that doesn't give me a free bag.

9 minutes ago, HHTel said:

Never flush cat poop down the toilet.

 

 

These parasites are not caught in the water treatment plants so go straight into your water supply.

 

Sorry off topic but flushing is not an alternative to plastic bags when dealing with cat poo.

I appreciate  your comment. I was a  victim of  toxo  many years  ago.

However it is  not quite correct to say  cats  are the  sole conveyers of  toxoplasmosis. Rather that they  are the  source of  proliferation in full that can infect people or secondary  carriers people. So the organism is already out there  and in there...by which I  mean that is the  reason  pregnant women are advised  to  not handle  raw red meat so as to avoid  both the risk of transference  to the unborn and to avoid the  cyclic  high temperatures some  people such as myself  experience which  can cause permanent harm to the unborn. Toxo is  specific  only in the  sense of completion of "sexual" breeding  cycle ( if that is a satisfactory  description). But  like  other organisms such as  Hydatids  which in  similar  sense  can only  proliferate in dogs  can also infect other animals including people but causes  horrific dangerous effect.

Toxoplasmosis exists already in the  environment. As  do many other potentially dangerous organisms.

The issue is awareness in avoidance. Otherwise the elimination  of  cats? Not dissimilar to the concept  of  eliminating  the  mosquito that  carries   dengue. Any  chance of eliminating  all  felines?

 

11 minutes ago, 4675636b596f75 said:

50 pounds.  My son overfeeds him.  It's ok, kitty gives the kids rides around the condo.  He's very gentle.

???? Ok ! So you prefer the  jumbo  bags  from  big C .

28 minutes ago, 4675636b596f75 said:

50 pounds.  My son overfeeds him.  It's ok, kitty gives the kids rides around the condo.  He's very gentle.

Are you sure its  not the same as that "Ive got a leopard"  story on here a  few  months back?

Yes of course it will work. People have to adapt, the same the world over. There are some on here who think they need their plastic bags but once they are used to it then all the negative comments will cease.

it was exactly the same comments in Australia just before it banned plastic bags. A couple of years later the complaining has stopped.

 

4 minutes ago, ianezy0 said:

Yes of course it will work. People have to adapt, the same the world over. //

Exactly.

Same kind of comments when they started banning plastic bags in France, many years ago already, but everybody adapted rather quickly to the change in fact. 

Of course it's possible. Stop giving them out.

Tell me another country that has “eliminated” them... 

 

There is your answer. 

25 minutes ago, ianezy0 said:

 

it was exactly the same comments in Australia just before it banned plastic bags. A couple of years later the complaining has stopped.

 

It’s only free bags that Australia’s banned. Supermarkets still have plastic carry bags, you just have to pay a small charge for them, and lots of shoppers use them. Same in European countries that I’ve visited.

Bottles! The bigger problem is plastic water & drinks bottles. The bag issue is a red herring.

Retailers, especially places where people buy numerous articles, still need to provide a bag or container to consumers, whether it is plastic or paper or some other material.  It may have worked at 7/11 because most people buy a low number (1 or 2) of small articles which will be consumed in the very near future.

 

Personally, when I shop for groceries, I'll need a bag. I don't drive a motor vehicle. I usually shop at the end of the day, after being out and about most of the day. I am not going to carry bags around all day so I can bring home several grocery articles.

 

If Big C, Food Land and other supermarkets don't provide a bag, after shopping and selecting 10-20 articles or about 4-6 bags of groceries, I'll leave most of articles at the cashier, and only buy 1 or 2 articles which I can carry home. 

 

It is a really stupid idea to not provide customers a bag, especially if their customers buy many articles, too numerous to carry out by hand.

 

I wonder how all the street vendors of liquid foods will be able to survive. What alternatives are available to them?

In HomePro Samui they now sell the bags. I think it's 1 ฿

Before plastic bags were invented people used paper bags. So what's wrong with going back to those at super markets?

19 minutes ago, Kurtf said:

Before plastic bags were invented people used paper bags. So what's wrong with going back to those at super markets?

I have bad memories of many, many years ago, before ultra thin plastic bags were invented, of walking several kilometres home from the supermarket, and having the paper bags collapsing that were holding cold items damp from condensation. 

Look at the products in 7-11. Everything is sealed in plastic, even the bananas!

Only some drinks are plastic free.

So folks go home, peel off the plastic cover and chuck it in the bin.

Are the companies going to stop using plastic to seal and vacuum seal their product?

 

1 hour ago, CygnusX1 said:

It’s only free bags that Australia’s banned. Supermarkets still have plastic carry bags, you just have to pay a small charge for them, and lots of shoppers use them. Same in European countries that I’ve visited.

Not in Cairns at least mate. As you say,  can buy bags but they are cloth not plastic. I would say that if you can buy pkastic bags they would be the re useable ones?

4 minutes ago, ianezy0 said:

Not in Cairns at least mate. As you say,  can buy bags but they are cloth not plastic. I would say that if you can buy pkastic bags they would be the re useable ones?

I’ve not actually purchased any in Australia, but they certainly look like they’re plastic, just a greater thickness. I do buy the bags in Croatia, though, and they’re definitely plastic.

 

The old free bags were also perfectly re useable of course, and I still have lots of them.

3 hours ago, Dumbastheycome said:

However it is  not quite correct to say  cats  are the  sole conveyers of  toxoplasmosis.

Thanks for your response.  My comment regarding cats as the only direct host came from credible source as shown below:

 

Quote

According to the Center for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), "Toxoplasmosis is an infection caused by a single-celled parasite called Toxoplasma gondii. While the parasite is found throughout the world, more than 40 million people in the United States may be infected with the Toxoplasma parasite." 

It turns out cats are the only "direct host" to carry Toxoplasma gondii and they're the only animals to pass the parasites in their feces. 

That means flushing cat feces in cat litter also flushes those parasites into the water supply.

 

2 hours ago, notasmartassknowitallfarag said:

Tell me another country that has “eliminated” them... 

 

There is your answer. 

Here is your answer.

 

https://www.torontoenvironment.org/where_else_in_the_world_have_governments_banned_plastic_bags

 

Antigua and Barbuda is missing in the list.

 

5 hours ago, Chazar said:

Are you sure its  not the same as that "Ive got a leopard"  story on here a  few  months back?

If it was an interesting story I shall consider taking credit.

 

Was it interesting?

I am in Tanzania and plastic in already banned. Im sure Thailand ahall get around to it in 25 years

50 minutes ago, kevinmartyn said:

I am in Tanzania and plastic in already banned. Im sure Thailand ahall get around to it in 25 years

How does one dispose of the Dingo Dookies?