Plastic packaging ban ‘could harm environment
Consumer pressure to end plastic packaging in shops could actually be harming the environment, a report says.
Firms are swapping to other packaging materials which are potentially even worse for the environment, the cross-party Parliamentary group warns. Glass bottles, for instance, are much heavier than plastic so are far more polluting to transport. Paper bags tend to have higher carbon emissions than plastic bags – and are more difficult to re-use. The change in packaging materials has been prompted by concern from shoppers about the impact of plastic waste in the oceans.