Mixed bags

An Environment Agency study commissioned by the previous Labour government has examined the impact of different types of supermarket carrier bags. It concluded that lightweight, single-use plastic bags have the lowest carbon footprint based on resource use and production, but that typical ‘bags for life’ need be used only four times to ensure they create fewer emissions. Heavier, woven plastic ‘bags for life’ need to be used 11 times to have a lower impact, while cotton bags must be used an astounding 131 times.

Transport, secondary packaging and end-of-life management had a minimal impact on the bags’ performance, and issues like litter associated with single-use bags were not addressed.

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