What are the negative environmental aspects of plastic bags?
Plastic bags blow around and end up along our roads and creeks. They then wash in stormwater out to Puget Sound and ultimately out into the ocean. They break down into smaller bits but don’t readily decompose. The negative aspects of plastic bags include: • Using up nonrenewable resources Bags are made of petroleum products and natural gas and thus are another way we are using up our petroleum resources. • Physically impacting wildlife. Plastic bags are neutrally buoyant and so float in the water column and can be mistaken for jellyfish or other food by wildlife, such as turtles. Bags are found in the stomachs of turtles, whales and other animals, leading to deaths by starvation when their digestive system is blocked. • Carrying toxic contaminants. Plastic is “oilier” than ocean water and therefore acts like a sponge for persistent toxic chemicals such as PCBs. It is believed that the bits of plastic in the aquatic environment are a pathway for toxic chemicals into fish and other wildl
