Synthetic polymers are easily molded into complex shapes, have high chemical resistance, and are more or less elastic. Some can be formed into fibers or thin transparent films. These properties have made them popular in many durable or disposable goods and for packaging materials.

Plastics are used because they are easy and cheap to make and they can last a long time. Unfortunately, these same useful qualities can make plastic a huge pollution problem. Because the plastic is cheap, it gets discarded easily and its persistence in the environment can do great harm. Urbanization has added to the plastic pollution in concentrated form in cities. Plastic thrown on land can enter into drainage lines and choke them resulting into floods in local areas in cities. They drift on the high seas and are harmful for marine lives.

According to calculations by Vincent Cobb, an entrepreneur in Chicago who calculated by extrapolating the data released by the US Environmental Protection Agency in 2001, some where between 500 billion and a trillion plastic bags are consumed worldwide each year. Of those, millions end up in the litter stream outside of landfills, estimates range from less than one to three percent of the bags. Cobb recently launched the Website http://reusablebags.com to educate the public about what he terms the “true costs” associated with the spread of “free” bags. In India, there is an exponential increase in the use of plastics and generation of plastic waste. During first half of 1994, 7,841.8 tonnes of plastic waste was imported. In 2000, the plastic consumption increased by 12% and 16% in 2007. The growth rate is higher than various Asian countries, including China. Compared to recycling rate of 15% in Europe and US the recycling rate of plastics in India is 60%, but the process is bewitched by lack of proper recycling policy or waste management.

Plastic is not properly cleaned before recycling and these unhygenically produced recycled plastics are used in packaging of edible materials and become health hazard.

While the American Plastics Council (APC) maintains it is important to understand that plastic grocery bags are some of the most reused items around the house, many bags are reused as book and lunch bags as kids head off to school, as trash can liners, and to pickup Fido’s droppings off the lawn.

Plastic associations all over the world vouch for plastics over paper bags. However, various disadvantages of plastics are that (a) they are hideous and unhealthy scene in surroundings, (b) they spread waterborne deseases and choke drains, and (c) they are consumed by animals and marine life and cause death by choking.

The Society of the Plastics Industry based in Washington, D.C., said the biodegradable plastics may be the right solution, but they are still under development and hence are costly. They are disadvantageous for the fact that (a) they cannot be recycled due to their unpredictable life span; (b) can cause increase in greenhouse gases like methane etc, because the carbon present in these due to lack of air present is released into the atmosphere; (c) it has been found biodegradable plastics leave still a portion of plastic remaining in the environment. A lot of research and development still needs to be done on biodegradable plastics. However, till the time cheaper biodegradable plastics are adopted the plastic bags will remain environmental nuisance that need to be checked.

Plastic bag litter has become such an environmental nuisance and eyesore that Ireland, Taiwan, South Africa, Australia, and Bangladesh have heavily taxed or banned their use outright. Several other regions, including England and some US cities, are considering similar actions.

Recently, Delhi government has banned the use of these bags in Delhi to avoid plastic pollution. This step is being welcomed by various environmental organizations although plastic manufacturers have gone to court against this ban. Despite various oppositions, the ban is slowly becoming effective and with a stricter enforcement, it will become more effective.