The Colorado stores of the retailer Walmart chain announced at the beginning of December 2022 that, from January 1, 2023, they will stop using single-use plastic bags, something that was already announced to customers through posters hung in the stores.
“Beginning Sunday, January 1, 2023, Walmart stores in Colorado will no longer provide single-use plastic or paper bags at checkout or pickup. Delivery will shift to paper bags. We are working hard to ensure a seamless and convenient shift to reusable bags for our customers and associates. Eliminating single-use bags is part of our commitment to achieve zero waste across our operations and ultimately shift gradually towards a circular economy built on advancing reuse, refill and recycling habits,” Lauren Willis, Walmart’s director of Global Communications in the western United States, told local television network KKTV.
Walmart aims to get rid of single-use bags
It is not the first US state in which Walmart locations are transitioning to a plastic-free future: its stores in Vermont, Maine, and New Jersey have already started this process, where the corporate program “Beyond the Bag” is already being applied.
In the state of California, single-use plastic bags are also being gradually eliminated with an interesting system, the Goatotes. This is a reusable bag mechanism that allows you to take out clean reusable bags and return them when you are done using one of the independent kiosks available 24 hours a day.
In Maine and Vermont, Walmart reacted to repeated requests from customers to eliminate plastic bags. And while these transitions come with a learning curve for clients and associates, they have all demonstrated that they were indeed prepared for the transition.
The problem of single-use plastics for the environment
Single-use plastics are a serious problem for the environment. These plastics, such as food containers, plastic bags and disposable cups, are used for a short period of time and then thrown away, resulting in a large amount of waste.
One of the main issues generated by single-use plastics is soil and water pollution. When these plastics are disposed of in the soil, they can release toxic chemicals that can contaminate water and affect the health of plants and animals. In addition, when plastics decompose, they can release small particles that can be ingested by animals and can cause blockages in their digestive systems.
Another major concern that single-use plastics generate in environmentalists is air pollution. When plastics are burned, toxic chemicals are released into the air, such as carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide, which can affect the quality of the air we all breathe.