Tesco stopped the use of biodegradable consumer bags because they had been found worse for the environment as compared to common use bags. The chain had introduced the eco-friendly title bags and they had been a centerpiece of its efforts to counter with use of plastic bags increasing wastes. Tesco chain has handed out more than one billion bags a year and has used the plastic bags double as compared to any other chain.
After several studies, it has been found that most of the supermarket carrier bags are used for only 20-30 minutes and then they are thrown away, but biodegradation or decomposition of this process takes more than 10,000 years. Most of these supermarket carriers’ bags end up in landfills or moved to beaches, in seas or blight the countryside. Tesco has told that an ingredient which is contained in biodegradable bags makes them to break down after 30-36 months and it will solve the issue.
Use of biodegradable bags has been pulled up from superstores because of scientific research which have found that this carrier may damage the environment and wildlife. Tesco announced earlier this year that they have been introducing other bags which are not biodegradable but they include 15 of material which can be recycled. Still company has made no announcement about the change but on its website it has been told that company is committed to use biodegradable bags.
It is also stated on Tesco website that many of our bags would go to landfills and therefore carrier bags had been designed biodegradable. It means they can biodegrade and break down into biomass, carbon dioxide and water. The failure of Tesco means now bags created blight is necessary. A previous year published study has mentioned the problems associated with biodegradable bags. This research study was conducted in Southborough University and they concluded in their study that biodegradable bags including such ingredient which are more harmful for natural environment and even dozen times more harmful than conventional shopping bags.
They also added that such bags can litter the countryside for five years before these bags move to degrade. This means they take more time period that what had been claimed by supermarkets. These bags need enough head and temperature, sunlight for degradation and they may not be provided with this.
The biodegradable bags do eventually crumble into a fine dust, according to the researchers
the bags campaign which was started in 2008 and was highly concerned about reduced used of plastic and polythene bags handed in billion hands every year was successful to great extend. Next year it received more popularity worldwide and major organizations, social groups, corporate sector and government bodies welcomed the campaign. The ministers delivered the public about use of plastic bags and environmental impacts of it. Tesco added that they would drop the use of such bags based on the scientific research which proven them harmful.