Conventional Plastic Bags and Eco-Friendly
Plastic Bags: A Comparative Study in terms
of Cost, Durability, and Environmental
Impact
Background of the Study
Every day, plastic pollution occurs in the world as the result of its manufacture and
disposal. One material that contributes to climate change is plastic. The energy-intensive
process of making plastic generates a lot of CO2. While some plastics are burned, releasing
carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, the remaining plastics end up in the environment. Plastic
is made from petroleum, which contributes to deforestation throughout the manufacturing
process. Plastic consumption increases when more trees are cut down to make room for oil
drilling and refining operations. Eco-friendly plastics are those that decay in the presence of
oxygen and light. Chemically, are just like their traditional petrochemical cousins. They just
use certain pro-oxidant additives which makes them quicker to break down when the right
conditions set in. Biodegradable or Eco-friendly plastic bags are the most highly used
alternatives to traditional plastic bags. Petroleum or natural gas is the source of conventional
plastics like fossil-fuel plastics, often known as petroleum-based polymers. Conventional
plastic packaging bags are typically made from materials such as polyethylene (PE),
polypropylene (PP), and polyethylene terephthalate (PET). These bags are popular due to
their low cost, durability, and versatility.
Synthesis 3
Plastic production and accumulation in the natural environment are occurring at an unprecedented rate
due to indiscriminate use, inadequate recycling, and deposits in landfills. The management of plastic waste
is a challenging problem for researchers, policymakers, citizens, and other stakeholders (Kumar et al). The
study aimed to measure how much single-use plastic was being used and if there was a difference in usage
based on government policies. It was found that despite efforts by the government, many households still
consume single-use plastics. Surprisingly, there wasn`t a significant difference in the usage of single-use
plastics among the households. It is well known that the global environmental pollution caused by plastic
not only threatens ecosystems worldwide but is also an increasing risk for human health (Bergmann et
al). According to Plastics Europe (2020), One of the main causes of this pollution is the uncontrolled
disposal of single-use plastic packaging.
In addition to Mark Macaso,(2024), Eco bags not only recycle material that would be going to waste, but
they also eliminate the need for single-use plastic bags that have been proven to harm the
environment.(2021) stated that the life cycle assessment of single-use and reusable bags in a model city with
confined waste management revealed that reusable polypropylene non-woven bags (PNB) have the least
negative environmental impacts when reused, followed by single-use HDPE plastic bags (HPB).One of the
most common single-use packaging items is plastic supermarket bags. In this study, reusable (cotton,
polypropylene non-woven) and often found single-use (HDPE, biodegradable plastic, kraft paper) bags
were considered for the life cycle assessment (LCA).
5
Population
”The researchers have enlisted 50 Grade 12 STEM students from STI College
Lipa to participate, as well as 2 user of both Conventional Plastic Bags and
Eco-friendly Plastic Bags will take part in our study. The respondents of this
study are 50 grade 12 STEM students. The researchers used the respondents
to gather the information that is needed to answer the problems that
the study has.
6
Interpretation
BASED ON SUMMARY OF FINDINGS:
1. The durability difference between conventional plastic bags and eco-friendly plastic bags. An average
weighted mean of 3.05, which corresponds to the descriptive interpretation “agree”.
2. The environmental impact difference between conventional plastic bags and eco-friendly plastic bags. An
average weighted mean of 3.10, which corresponds to the descriptive interpretation "agree”.
3. The factors contribute to the cost difference between conventional plastic bags and eco-friendly plastic bags.
An average weighted mean of 3.05, which corresponds to the descriptive interpretation “agree”.
4. The factors contribute to the cost difference between conventional plastic bags and eco-friendly plastic bags
considering factors such as material sourcing, manufacturing processes and waste management. An average
weighted mean of 3.21, which corresponds to the descriptive interpretation “agree”.
5. The long-term durability difference between conventional plastic bags and eco-friendly plastic bags. An
average weighted mean of 3.06, which corresponds to the descriptive interpretation “agree”.
7
Interpretation
BASED ON THE HYPOTHESIS:
H0: There’s no significant difference between Conventional Plastic Bags and Eco-
Friendly Plastic Bags in terms of cost, durability, and environmental impact.
H1: There’s a significant difference between Conventional Plastic Bags and Eco-
Friendly Plastic Bags in terms of cost, durability, and environmental impact.
Z-VALUE= -10.39
Since -10.39 is less than 1.96, we reject the null hypothesis.
Conclusion 8
Based on the indicated findings, the following conclusions were drawn.
1. 50 senior high school students under Grade 12 student's sections 201, 202, 203, 204, 205, 206,
207, 208 and 209 of STI Colleges Lipa.
2. For consumers, the choice between conventional and eco-friendly plastic bags involves
balancing immediate cost savings against long-term environmental benefits.
3. The key features that set conventional plastic bags apart from eco-friendly plastic bags are
that conventional plastic bags are initially cheaper, but eco-friendly bags can be cost-effective in
the long run due to environmental benefits.
4. Most of the respondents consider that conventional plastic bags and eco-friendly plastic bags
have more Durability, cost, and environmental impact.
5. To employ the alternative plastics bags, I the Conventional plastic bags and eco-friendly
plastic bags with the efficiency both user of conventional plastic bags and eco-friendly plastic
contend that it is crucial to take into consideration aspect such as cost, durability,
environmental impact, recyclability, biodegradability, user perception, and regulatory
compliance.
9
Recommendations
The following recommendations were formed based on the beneficiaries of this research:
Natural effects for user environmentally friendly plastic bags offer more
benefits than conventional ones.
Effect of cost to user to give precedence to greener plastic bags and
encourage their use.
Durability of item for user the most suitable option is to opt for plastic bags
that are eco-friendly and have a balance between durability and sustainability.
RESEARCH DEFENDED
