The debate on whether or not to ban single-use plastic items resurfaced amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Many customers prefer disposable plastic bags as they fear that reusable bags could spread the virus. Before the health crisis, many states and cities in the US banned disposable straws, bags, and food containers due to waste and environmental issues. However, many of them have reversed or suspended such controls amid worries that reusable items could spread the virus.
New York initially planned to begin a ban on single-use plastic bags on March 1, but it recently announced to postpone the regulation for seven weeks. Maine decided to postpone the implementation of a plastic bag ban until January next year and asked retailers to charge a 5-cent fee on bags made of reusable plastic or recycled paper. Brookline, Massachusetts, grants restaurants a waiver to use expanded polystyrene containers after the town prohibited all dine-in services. Other state governments are also considering similar steps.
Major food retailers such as Dunkin’ Donuts, Starbucks, and Tim Hortons have paused using reusable containers in their shops in favour of single-use items due to hygiene concerns. Pennsylvania-based department store chain Redner’s Markets recently asked shoppers to avoid using reusable bags as they may carry and spread the virus further.
Last week, the Plastics Industry Association sent a letter to the US Department of Health and Human Services asking the department to declare that banning disposable plastic items during a pandemic is a health threat. The supporters of single-use plastic often cite research by the Loma Linda University and University of Arizona, which found that reusable plastic bags could carry bacteria. However, the study, which was backed by the American Chemistry Council, recommends shoppers to wash or disinfect their reusable bags, not replace them.
On the other hand, environmentalists, citing a study by the US National Institutes of Health, said that the coronavirus could live in stainless steel and plastic for up to three days. This means that, like almost everything else this time, reusable bags should be washed to stop germs from spreading. However, proponents of single-use plastic argued that there is a chance of improper washing. Hence, single use bags would be a safer bet.
