Penza, 26 August 2013. PenzaNews. Penza became one of the 17 cities in Russia, where the activists of “ECA” green movement held “A day without plastic bags.”

© PenzaNewsBuy the photo

“The participants dressed in costumes, approached the passers-by walking with plastic bags, and offered to exchange them for paper-bags for free,” the head of the department of the movement of the Penza region Alina Mozhachkina told news agency “PenzaNews.”

She noted that most residents agreed to exchange, because they were aware of the harm which plastic bags cause to the environment.

“There are a number of reasons why the world refuses using plastic bags. For example, according to the UN Committee on Nature Protection, annually plastic wastes become the cause of death of one million birds, 100 thousand marine mammals and a huge number of fish. In addition, it is known that the period of complete destruction of polyethylene is about 100-400 years, and plastic bags make 7-9% of the total man-made trash. When burning a plastic bag, harmful substances hazardous to the environment and human health are released. In addition, almost every piece of plastic ever produced still exists,” the agency interlocutor stressed.