Posted on 01/24/2013 6:31:52 PM PST by grundle
Abstract: Recently, many jurisdictions have implemented bans or imposed taxes upon plastic grocery bags on environmental grounds. San Francisco County was the first major US jurisdiction to enact such a regulation, implementing a ban in 2007. There is evidence, however, that reusable grocery bags, a common substitute for plastic bags, contain potentially harmful bacteria. We examine emergency room admissions related to these bacteria in the wake of the San Francisco ban. We find that ER visits spiked when the ban went into effect. Relative to other counties, ER admissions increase by at least one fourth, and deaths exhibit a similar increase.
Number of Pages in PDF File: 23
Keywords: plastic, environment, pollution, e-coli
JEL Classification: I18, K32
(Excerpt) Read more at papers.ssrn.com ...
We have this idiotic ban here in San Luis Obispo County, CA and it is a real pain in the A$$. It slows things up at check out at the grocery store..Clerks have said that folks use all kinds of different bags and figuring out how to best fill them it time consuming, and they tend to fill them so that one needs the strength of Sampson to carry them out and load them in your car. Other stores also have to sell bags ( paper or cloth) if you need one. Then of course, if you have to use these bags, make sure you have your name on the cuz if you don’t and someone tries to pinch one while you are not looking at least you can prove it is your bag! This is more stupid govt control that all too many people are willling to give into..why they let their own liberty go for crap like this is beyond me. I hate the ban..And there are people in our county that are going to Santa Maria to shop as they don’t have that ban there and that is Santa Barbara County. But there is a note...I hear on the radio yesterday that by 2014 Sacramento would like this to be a state wide ban to be in effect..Just one more reason to leave this loony state..and I would if I could.
The reusable bags are non-woven polypropylene. Not sure how that is supposed to be better than plastic.
They are impressively strong for such inexpensive material. But much more practical for non food use.
I remember back in the mid 70s similar conclusions were reached for the brown paper lunch sacks if reused. It seems that facts are mostly inconvenient speed bumps on the fast track to saving Gia from man’s evil presence.
Science proves me right.
There are more trees growing in North America now that there was when the Pilgrims landed. We don't have a tree shortage.
Ick.
Well, perhaps in your part of the country, they used that as the excuse. In MY part of the country it was about how paper bags don’t biodegrade and plastic bags do.
So, I guess we’ll just have to have different memories of the same event.
Thanks for that link!
Do you honestly not clean up your dog poop, ever?
No. It goes away in a matter of a few days and there’s no smell. Maybe it’s the Texas heat and sandy loam soil. Like I said, I only know of one person, an imported liberal (”we don’t need anymore old white men as president”) who’s family is getting green stimulus $$$, who does that.
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