The Banning Of Plastic Bags In Bhutan

n a small nation like Bhutan plastic bags were banned since 1999, and we seem quite passionate talking about ban on plastic bags to protect our scenic environment. However we are usually disconnected from our talk when all we see around us are the filthy land- plastic bags swimming in the river, hanging on the trees and dancing along the wind. Bhutan has, therefore, failed to illustrate the ban of plastic bags. While, at the same time continuous effort are also made to ensure a practical and a complete ban on the plastics bags to address the large amount of waste generation in the country. But is banning of plastic bags the only solution for Bhutan?

A complete ban on plastic bags to achieve the means of waste management seems impractical when plastic bags are lightweight, affordable and convenient for both the consumers and the retailers. According to a draft report on study of poly bags and strategies to reduce their use, 98.7% of the customers still use plastic carry bags to carry their already packaged food. 72 percent of the consumer says convenience of plastic bags as the major reason for use of plastic carry bags. (Changse norbu consultancy, 2009). While 3% of the costumer said that it is provided by the shopkeeper, 22% of the shopkeeper said it is the “customer demand” for a plastic carry bags. (Changse norbu consultancy, 2009). All in all, the use of plastic bags has still persisted in Bhutan even with the restricted use policy or ban of plastic bags. Just a stroll along Thimphu city will be enough to observe a free use of plastic bag, despite the ban. Use of plastic bags is frequently examined in many of the environmentally conscious country all over the world. The current movement is to simply cut down waste from our ...

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... a car. Ghana was started to make bamboo bags to reduce the use of plastic bags. They are biodegradable and anti bacterial in nature. ( Modern Ghana, 2009). Reviving the use of bamboo bags would not only be fascinating but it would also help to reduce the use of plastic bags.

There are numerous varying efforts made by developing and developed nation in the world to address the rampant and increasing use of plastic bags. It is either due to lack of proper management, or a good alternative that we have eventually accepted the existence of garbage around us. Plastic ban did not take hold on Bhutan, and neither will it if people fail to realise collective civic responsibility. At the end of the day, we are the steward of our own environment. We have to create alternatives and resort to those available alternatives that would gradually help us address waste disposal.