Banning polythene to green the globe: Alternatives are not that green either

A RENEWED interest has been shown by the world community recently in banning or restricting the use of polythene bags as an urgent measure to save the earth from the perceived threat of destruction through pollution.

The latest initiative has been taken by the European Union which has called for public views till August 2011 whether to tax or ban the use of plastic bags. This initiative follows the successful measure taken by Ireland in taxing the use of polythene bags in 2002 thereby reducing, as reported, the use of polythene bags from 328 per person per annum to 21.