3.2. Life cycle assessment analysis and results with usage
and disposal options
The results of the survey findings tabulated in Table 3 were
employed to investigate the impact of plastic, paper bags, nonwoven
and woven bags on carbon footprint in terms of global
warming potential and they were compared with the results
obtained from without usage and disposal options (baseline study).
The GWP results of the same for China, Hong Kong and India are
described in Figs. 3 and 4 respectively. For better clarity and ease of
comparison, only the results from 100 years are considered for this
discussion.
The data tabulated in Figs. 3 and 4 permit a comparative
investigation between, without and with usage and disposal
options according to the existing consumer behaviour and
government policies in China, Hong Kong and India. In all the cases,
the carbon footprint values are less than those of the without usage
and disposal options. When the comparison is made between the
options from three countries under discussion here, one can see
that for plastic bags, the carbon footprint values from India is less
compared to other countries. This is due to the fact that reuse
option is most selected by Indians for plastic bags. For other categories
of shopping bags, the carbon footprint values from China are
less, due to the same fact mentioned above. The influence of reuse
option on reducing carbon footprint values is very much pertinent
in all the cases under discussion here. While looking at the results
in Table 3 for woven bags in China and Hong Kong, we can notice
that a 5% difference in percentage of reuse results in 22 Kg CO2
equivalents of global warming potential (around 20% of GWP) in
Fig. 3, which showcases the importance of reuse option. It is a wellknown
fact that the more reuse of shopping bags, lesser will be the
environmental impact. However the magnitude of importance
needs to be revealed, which will portray the real scenario to the
consumers of shopping bags. Even 1% of more reuse of shopping
bags will make a world of difference in terms of environmental
impact, which has to be unveiled to public, if one wants them to be
educated in terms of environmental improvement. If we expect the
Table 3
Values for usage and disposal options from survey results (Muthu et al., 2010a).
Percentage Plastic bags Paper bags Non-woven bags Woven bags
China HK India China HK India China HK India China HK India
Recycle 21% 22% 18% 31% 25% 25% 22% 25% 21% 20% 23% 27%
Reuse 46% 42% 55% 42% 38% 28% 78% 69% 55% 80% 75% 73%
Sent to landfill 33% 36% 27% 27% 37% 47% 0% 6% 24% 0% 2% 0%