On June 1, 2008 (April 28, 2008 lunar calendar), the production and sales of plastic shopping bags were restricted nationwide. Plastic restriction order In early 2008, the General Office of the State Council issued the "Notice on Restricting the Production and Sales of Plastic Shopping Bags" (abbreviation: Plastic restriction order). From June 1, the production, sale and use of ultra-thin plastic bags will be banned nationwide, and a system of paid use of plastic shopping bags will be implemented. After that, all supermarkets, shopping malls and bazaars in plastic shopping bags will be clearly marked and charged separately. Passenger trains, passenger ships, passenger cars, planes, stations, airports and tourist attractions will no longer be allowed to provide ultra-thin plastic shopping bags to passengers and tourists. Extended reading: Plastic limit order to implement the name of the supermarket to become the biggest winner Extended reading: Plastic limit order to implement the name of the supermarket to become the biggest winner Plastic limit order to implement the name of the death According to reports, during the holidays is the peak period for the use of plastic bags, while the "plastic limit order" in our country since the implementation of more than seven years, the effect is not obvious. In order to reduce the pollution caused by the use of plastic bags, many people advocate the use of "environmental protection bags" "vegetable basket", and even implement the "plastic ban order", trying to solve the problem of plastic bags. According to the "Notice on Restricting the Production and Sales of Plastic Shopping Bags" issued by the General Office of the State Council, since June 1, 2008, all supermarkets, shopping malls, bazaars and other commodity retail places have implemented a system of paid use of plastic shopping bags, and plastic shopping bags are not allowed to be provided free of charge. Unfortunately, this regulation has been difficult to strictly implement. Statistics show that the total annual consumption of plastics in the world is 400 million tons, and China's consumption is more than 60 million tons. The main purpose of the "Plastic Restriction Order" stipulates that the paid use of plastic shopping bags is to raise public awareness of environmental protection through the price lever adjustment mechanism, guide and encourage the public to use plastic shopping bags rationally, promote comprehensive utilization of resources, and protect the ecological environment. But in the eyes of many consumers, compared to the demand for portability, the cost of a few cents of plastic bags is not obvious. In many supermarkets, you can earn tens of millions of yuan every year just by selling plastic bags, and the "plastic restriction order" has even become a "plastic selling order". The "plastic restriction order" exists in name only, and the "plastic restriction order" has not stopped, but has made the sale of plastic bags a lot of money. Such embarrassment cannot but cause profound reflection from all parties in society. On the surface, the "plastic restriction order" exists in name only, and even has become a "plastic selling order", which is mainly due to factors such as weak enforcement of the law, dereliction of duty by law enforcement agencies, and rampant illegal manufacturers. But if you think deeply, you will find some deep-seated reasons. " There are two factors that cannot be ignored. First, the price elasticity of demand. If the elasticity is large, it is indeed possible to greatly reduce the use of plastic bags, but if the elasticity is small, it can only increase the burden for consumers, but cannot reduce the amount of plastic bags. Second, after consumers pay, they will have a compensatory psychology, and they will be more justifiable when using plastic bags. In essence, it is contrary to the environmental protection purpose of the plastic ban. At the same time, the reason why the "plastic limit order" is difficult to implement is the absence of supporting measures. At present, the biggest difficulty in the implementation of the "plastic limit order" is that the price of alternative environmentally friendly shopping bags is too high, which is unbearable for consumers. The average price of most alternatives is 3 to 5 yuan, and some are higher grade and more expensive. It is conceivable that such a price is difficult for ordinary people to accept. If the "plastic restriction order" exists in the wrong direction in name only, it is impossible to achieve the expected effect. The "plastic restriction order" depends on the self-discipline of citizens, and the self-discipline of citizens depends on the guidance and well-intentioned policies of the government. But the fact is that the "plastic restriction order" has been promulgated for more than seven years, and we only think of this law at a certain time each year because of the review of the media. The author believes that in order to solve the current dilemma faced by the "plastic restriction order", the government should not only do a good job of relevant publicity and guidance, but also strictly control the production process, crack down on illegal production of ultra-thin plastic bags in black workshops, and strictly monitor wholesale, retail, consumption and other links. Only with the strict implementation of potential penalties and the government's responsibility can the "plastic restriction order" be banned, deeply rooted in the hearts of the people, and no longer "plastic".