Why are paper bags banned?

Back when lawmakers were writing the plastic bag ban, the grocery store industry lobbied for paper bags to be banned in large stores (again not smaller delis and convenience stores). Paper bags take more energy to produce than plastic bags, industry experts have said, and they also cost stores more money to stock.



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Every year, around 500 billion plastic grocery bags are used worldwide. And an estimated 10 million tons of plastic are discarded in the ocean yearly. To help combat this waste, several American states have enacted bans on plastic grocery bags.

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The decision, she says, will make waves in reducing the carbon footprint. “The impact from a carbon footprint is greater for paper bags than it was for plastic bags. They're heavier and they take more carbon to produce, ship, transport and also throw away,” said Sood.

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A report produced for the United Nations Environmental Programme in 2020 found a thick and durable polypropylene (PP) bag (they often have a woven feel) must be used for an estimated 10 to 20 times compared to one single use plastic bag, while a slimmer but still reusable polyethylene (PE) bag five to 10 times.

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