Eight supermarket chains in Buenos Aires announced today that they will be implementing a new bagging system with coloured bags. Instead of offering complementary plastic bags to customers who have not brought their own, customers will have to buy green and black bags that can later be used for recyclable and non-recyclable goods respectively.

The government’s Plan for Plastic Bag Reduction statistics indicate that 75% of Buenos Aires residents use plastic grocery bags for trash in their homes. The use of coloured bags is part of a broader plan to reduce waste by promoting the separation of rubbish at home.

Buenos Aires Minister of Environment and Public Space, Diego Santilli, told Página 12: “The green agenda is one of the most important parts of our government.”

The law promoting the eradication of plastic bags was originally passed in 2009 and the official schedule to eliminate the bags was announced in May.

Lawmakers who oppose the measure question the charge of the green and black bags and suggest that they should be free to customers.

Buenos Aires legislator Adrián Camps told Página 12: “If they are trying to make people start recycling in their homes, the best way is for people to bring their own bags, it does not make sense to charge for them.”

The new green and black bag system is a step towards the complete elimination of non-biodegradable plastic bags in all supermarkets by October 2014. Industries who will be able to keep regular plastic bags for sanitation reasons include meat, fish and vegetable sellers as well as hospitals.

The price of the green and black bags has not yet been determined.

In the face of increasing concerns over trash generation and disposal in city of Buenos Aires, the city government recently regulated the use of plastic bags in supermarkets, kiosks, pharmacies, deliveries and convenience stores. The Argentina Independent hit the streets to find out what city residents think about the current use of plastic bags in stores, and whether they think that the new regulations will be effective.

Are these new regulations a good idea, and will they prompt people to change their habits in the long term?

Portraits: Maia Worsnop

Manuela Monsalve, art student and waitress, 25, Belgrano

To me the law seems really good because it’s incredible how they use a bag for everything, in the supermarket, in kiosks. This creates too much trash. The quantity of trash that is generated is incredible, because the bags are not used in other ways, and just end up thrown in the street. I don’t know if this has to do with the ‘environment’, because it is the city and it’s already filled with trash – the ‘environment’ would have more to do with those spaces that are almost extinct in the city.

Juan Carlotto, Kiosk manager, 56, Pilar

Yes, it’s a good idea that they change the way we deal with trash; that there would be recycled bags in the supermarkets, that they make everything disposable out of biodegradable materials, materials that do not add to all of the damage that is being done to the environment. Because it’s too much. We have not yet stopped using plastic bags in our kiosk, because we still can’t get the biodegradable bags… When we can get those bags, the first thing we will do will be to change our ways.

Jorge Alejandro Navarro, porter, 34, Palermo

It is very difficult to make people change their habits. There needs to be a very radical change in people. But I think that in the future, no more than 20 years from now, perhaps we will begin to be more aware and to create a better social consciousness. People see reusable bags, but they aren’t attracted by the option. Now they have to make better awareness campaigns, I think. There have been efforts in the past, but nothing happens.

Franz Suarez, artisan, 40, Peru

I think that in order to change people’s habits, there has to be a very strong awareness campaign. Because I think people know that they shouldn’t use bags, but they do it, they keep using them. Life, everyday life, or the business, The last thing that people are thinking about is remembering to have a reusable bag and not consume plastic bags… It’s going to take a big effort to change that; I think it’s a big problem.