Plastic bag ban

A plastic bag ban or charge is a law that restricts the use of lightweight plastic bags at retail establishments. In the early 21st century, there has been a global trend towards the phase-out of lightweight plastic bags.^[1][2] Single-use plastic shopping bags, commonly made from low-density polyethylene (LDPE) plastic^{[citation needed]},^[3] have traditionally been given for free to customers by stores when purchasing goods: the bags have long been considered a convenient, cheap, and hygienic way of transporting items. Problems associated with plastic bags include use of non-renewable resources (such as crude oil, gas and coal),^[4] difficulties during disposal, and environmental impacts. Concurrently with the reduction in lightweight plastic bags, shops have introduced reusable shopping bags.

Various governments have banned the sale of lightweight bags, charge customers for lightweight bags, or generate taxes from the stores that sell them.^[2][5] The Bangladesh government was the first to do so in 2002, imposing a total ban on lightweight plastic bags.^[6] Between 2010 and 2019, the number of public policies intended to phase out plastic carryout bags tripled.^[7] As of 2022, such bans have been introduced in 99 countries, with varying degrees of enforcement, and 32 countries instead impose a charge per bag. Bans and charges have also been enacted by some jurisdictions at the sub-national level.^{[citation needed]}