The Facts The belief that paper is better than plastic is not based on science or fact. It is based on misconceptions about how plastic bags are made, how landfills work, the incidence of plastic litter, and that non-biodegrading products are bad for the planet. Numerous life cycle assessments demonstrate that conventional plastic bags are better for the environment than paper bags. On resource use: plastic bags play an important role in the conservation of the natural gas resources. In Canada plastic bags are made from ethane which is often burned off in the natural gas refining process. On manufacturing: paper bag manufacture is much more resource-intensive than plastic bag manufacture. On reuse: it is difficult to reuse paper bags because they tend to tear.





On solid waste: paper bags have much greater mass and weigh five to seven times more than plastic bags so they add five to seven times more tonnage to the waste stream for municipalities to manage. This in turn results in a fivefold to sevenfold increase in greenhouse gas emissions.