Image by Getty Images via @daylifeBy Len OstroffItaly has historically been among Europe's top consumers of plastic bags, but not anymore. As of January 1, 2011, the Italian government has banned non-biodegradable plastics bags from shops and grocery stores.
Enter the controversy: this ban stands to have a positive environmental effect, but what does it mean for the plastics and packaging industries? There has been a backlash in Italy for fear that the ban will hurt the plastic film industry.
Yet the controversy is not just centered around Italy. Italy may be the most recent political body to ban plastic bags, but it's not the only one. In the U.S., cities such as Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Baltimore have banned or are considering banning plastic bags. It's only a matter of time before the idea catches on globally.
The first factor to consider is the impact on viewing the environment as important in business and industry ethics. Companies, especially industrial companies, now have to reckon with the ethical implications of having products that are not environmentally friendly. Companies that do not jump on the environmentally friendly bandwagon will be left behind, and find their reputations sullied.
The second factor is realizing that environmentally friendly products will play a crucial role in business survival. Companies that provide environmentally friendly solutions will have a significant advantage in the future.
"Environmentally friendly" has already entered the marketing lexicon, but it's much more than just a slogan. For many, it's a rallying cry for changes to the law to support their beliefs. Today, it's legislation on plastic bags. Next year, perhaps it's other packaging materials. And in the future, entire industrial markets will be forced to adapt. How is your company responding?
Third, industry must realize that before too long, sweeping solutions will emerge to environmental problems. Currently, environmentally friendly efforts focus on incremental improvements. Bit by bit, improvements and industry changes are being made. Soon, however, people will be ready to re-think their style of living and doing business in radical ways. Companies who follow their customers' new requirements and take advantage of these changes will have a head start.
Businesses who listen to these three key trends, indicated by the spread of plastic bag bans, will survive, whereas businesses whose models involve waste and pollution will face great challenges moving forwards. How is your business changing to become more environmentally friendly? Or is it not changing at all? Do you agree or disagree with our predictions?
Len Ostroff is the President and CEO of Informous. Check out Informous' blog for more like this. Find information on packaging and plastics on Informous.
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Thanks for a wonderful and timely post. This "bag-ban" is understandable and overdue but is generally a political move and has proven pretty much ineffective across India and Africa.
ReplyDeleteBanning bags seems bold but is only a small start in a small area. The unfortunate truth is that there is no way to stop the use of these bags. They will find their way to landfills, rivers and landscape where they will linger in the environment for many hundreds of years.
The policy is political. An attempt that leaders feel they need to make to ease their populations' frustration caused by plastic waste in their environment.
Reality is that billions of plastic bags(and countless tons of other plastic waste) will continue to go right into the world's landfills and rivers each year. Fortunately there is a solution that will truly work.
Additives exist that can be added to everyday plastic grocery bags during manufacturing to render them 100% biodegradable in less than 15 years in both aerobic or anaerobic environments. ENSO Plastics even makes an additive that is organic and renewable.
In short, specific microorganisms are attracted to the additive. They feed on it, multiplying and colonizing. As they metabolize the additive they recognize the carbon in the plastic polymer and begin to use that as a food source as well, secreting powerful enzymes which break down the polymer completely. What is left behind is inert humus (soil) and biogases (carbon dioxide and methane) same as an apple core or a banana peel thrown in the river.
Go to the website below and take a look at the information there. Certified test data is publicly available for you skeptics out there like I used to be(3rd party testing using internationally accepted ASTM testing methods). The FAQ page is a great place to start. www.ensoplastics.com
Max Clark