The effectiveness of the non-free plastic bag policy to reduce plastic waste in the community of Padang

Abstract

The waste generation of Padang City at the Final Processing Site (TPA) is 495.50 tons/day, and the amount of unmanaged waste is 62.42 tons/day, of which 40% is plastic waste. Efforts to reduce the use of plastic bags have begun in Padang, referring to Perwaliko number 36 of 2018. Shopping centers and modern stores must use plastic shopping bags that meet SNI no later than December 31, 2020, especially in various retail and contemporary shopping centers. This study aimed to analyze the relationship between the effectiveness of plastic use policies and the decrease in the use of plastic bags in people who shop at modern retailers in Padang City. This type of research is quantitative with a cross-sectional design. The number of samples is 116 respondents who shop at modern shopping centers, namely Matahari Dept. Store, Food Mart Padang, Ramayana Padang and SPAR Padang. Data analysis used univariate and bivariate analysis. The results showed that 46.6% of respondents stated that the plastic bag policy was not adequate, and 46.6% of respondents stated that there was no reduction in plastic bags. There is a significant relationship between the effectiveness of the plastic bag policy and the decrease in the use of plastic bags in the people of Padang City (p=0,029). With this paid plastic bag policy, government, retailers, and the public will be more concerned with the environment.