Both government and retailers are making efforts to dramatically reduce single-use plastic bag consumption in Spain
18.11.09 - 12:25 -
According to environmental organizations, every resident in Spain uses an average of 238 disposable plastic bags annually, or nearly 10 billion in total, thus earning an unfortunate nickname ‘plastic bag paradise’ by some. While most industrialized nations have already begun tackling this environmental problem, Spain has gotten a relatively late start.
Last year, the Spanish government approved the ‘Plan Nacional Integrado de Residuos’, a set of rules aimed at restricting and eventually banning the use of single-use, disposable plastic bags by 2015. At the same time, most supermarkets have begun implementing plans to reduce plastic bag consumption.
Eroski gives customers a bonus of one cent for every plastic bag they do not take, while Alcampo and El Corte Inglés each offer customers the option of purchasing reusable plastic, paper, or canvas bags. Charging customers for each single-use plastic bag is a third tactic employed by some supermarket chains to reduce consumption.
Customer reactions are mostly positive. “We are used to this in the UK,” noted Dawn Cox, a visitor from Scotland, “and it’s great to see it happening here. The first time you forget your reusable bags and you have to pay for them...I promise you, you will never forget again!”
“I’ve started bringing a trolley to do my shopping and pay for a few extra plastic bags for what doesn’t fit”, said Mr. Triana from Marbella. “I end up using those bags at home.”
Others, however, are more suspicious. “I just think it’s another way for these companies to make more money,” remarked one man in line at a Marbella supermarket.
Most consumers and environmental groups agree that these new shopping habits will effect a significant reduction in the use of disposable plastic bags; however, the new options are not without controversy. Some critics point out that reusable bags made from recycled plastic will still end up in the environment and take nearly 400 years to decompose, while durable paper bags use 300% more energy to produce and will eventually emit large amounts of methane gas.
Still, most customers back the plan. “Maybe the alternatives aren’t perfect, but I think plastic bags are wreaking havoc on marine life”, noted shopper Mark McClelland. “In the long run they’re very costly to the environment, so I’m all for supermarkets not giving away plastic bags anymore.”
