Impact of single use polyethylene shopping bags on environmental pollution, a comprehensive review

Thousands of plastic factories are manufacturing tons of plastic products and plastic goods. Plastic-made products and bags are widely used worldwide due to the advantages of convenience, availability, and cheapness. Because of the non-biodegradable nature, plastic causes many negative and hazardous impacts on the ecosystem and environment. Recently many countries, including Pakistan, Yemen, Bangladesh, South Africa, India, Nigeria, and Kenya, have banned the plastic bags because of the pressing concerns over the negative and hazardous impact on the water, land, and marine ecosystem and natural environment. The primary cause of environmental pollution is the disposal of plastic wastes. The trend of dumping plastic garbage into the marine ecosystem, jeopardize the survival of enormous species because of infections with plastic scraps. Many species have already announced to be endangered due to anthropogenic activities. Marine animals are affected by the ingestion and entanglement of plastic litter. Tackling plastic waste is one of the major issues of environmental pollution. Many steps are necessary to be taken by the governments to regulate the plastic businesses and to bring innovations in the waste management. Creating public awareness regarding the healthy environment, managing wastes, alternative disposal methods, establishing the incineration mechanisms, and drop-off-areas facilities for plastic recycling also recommended to ensure a healthy environment. This review paper emphasizes the hazardous of single-use polyethylene shopping bags on the environment and the emerging trends to tackle the management of plastic wastes. It also offer help for policymakers to consider regulatingthe manufacture and use of plastic bags.