This is an exceptional new law. I only hope the US gets wind of it and finds a way to do the same. I disagree with Qing, right now not enough people care to make small changes like this, the people need "commands" at times.

jen, Denver, USA

I think Britain would do well to follow China in this as we use soo many plastic bags, and wrapping that it has become a environmental time bomb that will blow up in our childrens future. Lets take action, NOW. before we do any further damage. lets try to state undoing the mess that we have created over the last 40 years. The only way to stop the big super markets is to make it against the law with huge fines.
Amaerica have paper sacks, why cant we use them instead. if people do not want to carry cloth bags.

susan, burnley, Lancashire

They banned plastic bags several years ago in some parts of India, e.g. Ladakh.

The problem in China is that currently the supermarkets all seem to assume their customers are thieves, and we're not permitted to take our own bags into the stores. You have to leave them in lockers. It'll be interesting to see whether the response is to permit us to use our own bags, or simply force us to buy their bags (plastic or otherwise).

Pete, China,

what did the americans do 50 years ago?

tom xu, beijing, china

Bye bye,free plastic bags .

ye,ji, shiyan, China

hope it will goes smoothly ~

B.H, SZ, CN

South Africa did this a few years ago - previously, the joke on the street was that the country's national flower was the 'plasticus bagus'. Now, as well as grabbing a wallet, cap and car-keys when you head to the shops, we grab a handful of supermarket bags that are recycled time and time again. It's just a matter of getting your head round a new system, not hard but requires a bit of forward planning before shopping. It has made an incredible difference to the aesthetic environment - and has significantly reduced sightings of the dreaded 'plasticus bagus'

nikki, Cape Town, South Africa

Jolly good form China, now surely other nations 'must' follow. If China's change is succesful, then how can any leading political organisation or government not impement such a policy; especially if it seems to be agreeable with the majority of the population in each remaing country faced with this environmental problem!
Crawford, Exeter

George Crawford, Exeter, Devon

Farming trees to make paper bags will only help to reduce CO2 in the atmosphere, old paper bags are easily recyclable into other products - even furniture - and water used in the process tends to re-appear as rain after a while.

The negatives are that they are useless when damp and tear easily in transit. Paper bags were all we used when I was a lad, but that was long ago. Surely new technology can help make strong wet paper.

Mike Poulsen, Reading, Berkshire

China has shown excellent initiative in tackling this issue. If all countries followed suit then we would be that bit closer to cleaning up our act. Britian should definitely be the next to ban free plastic bags.

Lydia, London, UK

Paper involves vast quantities of water, wood and other such resources.
To implement such a strategy would involve further land being dedicated to tree plantations, a plan which when taking global population growth and space requirements into account, doesn't seem particularly viable.
I do not, however, condone the usuage of plastic bags, I suggest the customers bring their own containers.

Kerry, MC,

Why are the bags plastic? Why are they not made of paper?

Diana, exeter, uk

way to go China!! well done!!...India has a lot of catching up to do...wonder when the peopple will wake up to it!!

vandana, bangalore, india

In Germany they charged for plastic bags 20 years ago.

Christina B, London UK,

What will they put their dog and cat doodies in then?
Or does it even get picked up?That will probably be the next
order of "business".

Dan, Iowe,

well it is good that china is starting to play for the enviroment.

snowfox, texas, Canada

Banning bags is a Must as people are resourceful. My gran always had a 'shopper' and I have at least 5 working bags.

Encouraging people to be responsible for their actions is a good thing - however the majority of people are lazy and not able to carry thru on their 'good intentions' so it then becomes necessary to take away the item causing the problem.

I wonder why China has implemented this ban before the UK? however I was brought up in Australia where we were taught to 'Keep Australia Beautiful' by big campaigns and I can see how pathetic Britain has been when it comes to taking pride in this country and not polluting this beautiful land and the disgusting attitude of many local Brits who 'litter'. (I know they are local - I can hear their accents!)

Sally K., Edinburgh, Scotland

Meanwhile the 'dirty' old United Kingdom still has no tax on supermarket carrier bags!

Billy Bop, london, uk

Looks like China is now going down the same road the U.S. did 50 some years ago.
We are finally starting to learn from those mistakes.....Lets hope the Chinese are smart enough to learn from our mistakes!!

M.J., Iowa, U.S.A.

While, whether it will sort out the problems or not, this is certainly a good first step. Well-done, China!

Cindy, London,

I like it. Pollution taxes seem reasonable, since the lifetime costs of the bages are shared more widely than the initial usage benefits. Any reason not to tax them? The usual "its regressive" objection seems dubious, since alternatives also are cheap.

jfx, chicago,