Paper bags are used more and more often, as many cities and countries are starting to introduce charges for plastic bags or even total bans, as France did in 2016. We associate the paper bags as a green alternative to plastic bags because they are made from paper, made from trees, which is obviously a renewable resource - how could it be bad for the environment?

Unfortunately, the paper bags are not the best option - they tear easily, so it's not possible to reuse them many times, their production creates 70% more air pollution than plastic bag production and they weigh more and take up more space, so the transportation cost is much higher. One can argue, that at least they don't pollute the oceans and can degrade quickly. Yes, that's true, but only partially - surprisingly, the paper that ends up in landfills doesn't degrade substantially faster than the plastic bags! That's because the landfills conditions are not made for paper degradation, so piled-up rubbish lacks water and oxygen needed for degradation. That's why the bag's end-of-life is so important - even choosing the bag made from natural sources like paper may be harmful to the environment if we don't recycle it properly.