1.0 Introduction Plastic bags are widely used as a simple means of packaging items purchased in groceries and retail outlets. However, the irresponsible use of plastic bags has led to numerous impacts; particularly towards the environment. The negative implications on the use of plastic bags cause conflicts where it is necessary to reduce or ban the production of plastic bags, especially ordinary conventional bags used for shopping. This raises the question of whether the role of these plastic bags should be replaced with a more environmentally friendly product such as reusable shopping bags as part of the solution to banning plastic bags.2.0 Chemical Context2.1 Context of plastic bagsPlastic bags are made of a type of polymer called polyethylene, which is a flexible synthetic polymer produced by the polymerization process of ethylene. Ethylene, or ethene, is a gaseous hydrocarbon component usually obtained by splitting the hydrocarbon ethane. Ethene molecules are usually made up of two units of methane molecules with carbon-carbon double bonds. When ethene monomer units are polymerized in the presence of catalysts, a long polymer chain of repeating ethylene monomers is produced.[1]These long-chain molecules can be formed linearly or branched to produce different types of polyethylene components such as those high-density polyethylene, or HDPE, and low-density polyethylene, or LDPE.[1]In the production of polyethylene, appropriate additives are added to the polymer for the purpose of preserving the polyethylene or to customize the component polymer based on its subsequent use. Examples of additives added are additives that allow the polymer to support...... half of the paper ......pic/1589019/plastic-pollution'Environmental Impacts', Territory of the Environment Protection Authority North, viewed 13 April 2014, http://www.ntepa.nt.gov.au/waste-pollution/plastic-bag-ban/enviroimpactsRosenthal, E 2013, “Is it Time to Bag the Plastic?” The New York Times, May 18, viewed April 13, 2014, http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/19/sunday-review/should-america-bag-the-plastic-bag.html?_r= 0Magaziner, L 2014, 'Plastic Bags: Convenient and Cruel', Scholastic Scope, 62, 8, pp. 20-21, viewed April 16, 2014 (Academic research completed @EBSCOhost). 'Are reusable bags greener than traditional plastic shopping bags?' 2012, All About Bags, viewed 13 April 2014, http://www.allaboutbags.ca/reusablesgreenerrmyth.htmlGreen, KP & DeMeo, E 2013, 'The Crusade Against Plastic Bags', Fraser Forum (2013), pp. 16- 26, viewed April 13, 2014 (Business Source Complete @EBSCOhost).