Undoubtedly, paper bags have become a better option for customers when it comes to choosing between paper and plastic bags. They can be used more than the plastic ones and biodegrades entirely into the environment. With the introduction of advanced paper bag manufacturing machines, paper bags can be produced in a range of sizes, colors, and designs. This has helped organizations and high-end outlets to give attracting packaging to their products and promote their brand at the least cost possible. 

The rising demand for paper bags has made manufacturers invest in paper shopping bag making machines. These machines are equipped with the latest features that automate the entire production process, allowing businesses to cut their manufacturing expenses. The paper bag making price differs based on features they possess so that you can have the one that meets the requirements of your production unit. 

There is no denying that paper bags are better than plastic bags, but using paper bags has its own consequences. On the one hand, paper bags save the environment from the harmful effects of plastic pollution. As plastic waste is increasing at an alarming rate, it has become crucial for people to shift for a more eco-friendly option. But on the other hand, paper bags are made from trees, and daily, thousands of trees are cut down to produce these bags, resulting in deforestation and global warming.

Here, we are mentioning some points that will help you understand the disadvantages associated with using paper bags:

  • Causes pollution: The production of paper bags adds pollution into the surrounding air, increasing the level of environmental pollution. As compared to the production of paper bags, the production of paper bags adds 70% more pollution to the environment. In addition to that, paper bags are made by cutting trees that absorb carbon dioxide present in the air. With more production of paper bags, we are adding more pollutants into the environment and questioning the sustainability of our only planet.
  • Water consumption: The production of paper bags consumes three times more water than the production of plastic bags. Water is one of the limited resources on this planet, and by wasting such a resource, we are risking the lives of the coming generations. 
  • Consume more energy: Paper bags consume four times more energy than the production of plastic bags. As paper bags consume more fuel, their production cost is higher than the plastic ones, making these bags expensive.
  • Inefficient recycling: Even when paper bags make their way to recycling, they again use the same amount of resources and add more waste into the environment. The inefficient recycling takes a worse dig on the environment and causes harmful impacts that are difficult to recover from. 
  • Water-proof: Unlike plastic bags, paper bags are not water-proof and tend to wear & tear if they get wet. They become a less effective option to choose in the rainy season. In addition to this, they are also bound to wear when a little extra weight is put in them, which is not in the case of plastic packaging.
  • Do not biodegrade that faster: Paper bags do not biodegrade that quickly as you think. They take a few days to completely vanish into the natural surroundings, and till then, they keep littering landfills and water bodies.
  • Produce waste: As per a report, the production process of paper bags produces approximately 80% of solid waste that is enough to take a dig at the environment and our health.
  • Environmental damage: More than 14 million trees are slaughtered down every year around the globe to produce paper bags. This not only disrupts wildlife but also becomes the cause of calamities like landslides, floods, and others. Since trees are considered as the lungs of the planet, cutting them down in such large numbers is becoming the cause of global warming.

Summing up

Everything in the world has its pros and cons, be it paper bags or plastic bags. To protect our environment for ourselves and for the generations to come, we must find an option that can fulfill our needs along with taking care of nature. We hope that this article has helped you gain knowledge regarding the disadvantages associated with paper bags.