In many countries plastic bags are the main source of rubbish causing pollution in oceans and on land; therefore they should be banned. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?

Plastic

pollution is becoming one of the greatest threats to our environment, particularly the oceans, and

plastic

bags are the main culprits. Some have

therefore

suggested banning the use of these bags.

This

essay will discuss why I completely agree that a

ban

is the best way to curb the amount of

plastic

being discarded. The main reason why

plastic

bags ought to be removed from the market is that they are causing environmental crises. Around 4 trillion are used annually and since they are not biodegradable, most end up in landfill or in waterways. Indeed, the news media has been awash recently with stories and images of marine life getting tangled in

plastic

waste or dying from ingesting kilos of discarded shopping bags. While bags are not only

plastic

being thrown away carelessly, they certainly make up a large proportion and

therefore

banning them would be a step in the right direction at least. A secondary reason is that banning

plastic

bags raises awareness about single-use plastics and consumption in general. When Woolworths supermarkets,

for instance

, implemented a

ban

at the checkout

this

year, many people were forced to reconsider other conveniences and bad habits they had maintained for decades.

Subsequently

, the bag

ban

also

sparked action regarding the use of

plastic

straws, disposable coffee cups and packaging in general, all of which contribute to environmental contamination. Clearly, if stores take a strong position and prohibit single-use bags, the knock-on effect can be powerful. In conclusion,

this

essay discussed both the practical and the psychological impacts of a

ban

on

plastic

carrier bags. In my opinion,

this

simple step can have far-reaching consequences and the sooner more stores adopt the policy, the better.