<p>China recently followed in the footsteps of San Francisco, <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7178287.stm">announcing</a> a ban on free ultrathin plastic bags starting in June, a bold move for a country that produces more plastic bags than any other. If it works,&nbsp; the idea could save China&nbsp; <a href="http://www.thedailygreen.com/environmental-news/latest/china-plastic-bags-47010907">millions</a> of barrels of crude oil a year used in producing the bags.</p>

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<p>But will it work? Although the effort is getting a positive response from the international community, the people actually affected seem <a href="http://www.chinalyst.net/node/29259">skeptical</a>. First, there&rsquo;s the <a href="http://www.chinalyst.net/node/29259">matter</a> of enforcement. The ban is only on ultrathin (or &quot;flimsy&quot;) bags while others face a tax, so enforcement could be fairly difficult. Will the government actually devote resources to plastic bag inspection? And then there&rsquo;s the question of the 100-plus plastic shopping bag producers. The China Plastic Processing Industry Association is <a href="http://www.plasticsnews.com/china/english/environment/headlines2.html?id=1200082376">doing a survey</a> to gauge reaction among workers, but I&rsquo;m pretty sure it won&rsquo;t be positive. When Taiwain instituted a similar ban, factories <a href="http://www.plasticsnews.com/china/english/environment/headlines2.html?id=1200082376">organized protests</a>.</p>

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<p>The idea, I suppose, is that the plastic industry will be just fine because the demand for shopping bags is <a href="http://www.plasticsnews.com/china/english/environment/headlines2.html?id=1200082376">less than elastic</a>. If that&rsquo;s the case, will the country really end up with fewer bags? Sure, the ban is joined by governmental efforts to encourage recylcing; but, that once again raises the question of enforcement.</p>

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<p>There&rsquo;s also a small chance that exporters could start providing plastic bag, since the ban is only on domestic producers.</p>

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<p>Despite the potential concerns, other countries are joining the movement to crack down on plastic bags. Australia has announced that it wants to develop a plan to <a href="http://www.worldscrap.com/modules/news/article.php?aid=5799&amp;eqs_session=8778c7a99853863f2b2a566d2c602747">phase out</a> plastic bags by the end of 2008. And Israel started the new year <a href="http://www.inhabitat.com/2008/01/16/small-charge-for-plastic-bags-in-israel/">with a law</a> charging customers for every plastic bag they take from the grocery store. New York has taken a step in the same direction by <a href="http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/01/09/council-votes-to-require-stores-to-recycle-plastic-bags/?hp">passing</a> a bill a couple weeks ago that would require large stores to recycle plastic bags and provide recycling bins so patrons can</p>