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From Recoup (read more about plastic recycling and design for recyclability on their webside):
"Carrier bag debate update
Main News Page >>
Published: 1/05/2008
The last few weeks have seen a real ignition to the debate around carrier bags, both in the UK and internationally.
The Chancellor announced in his latest Budget speech that laws will be introduced by 2009 to tax plastic bags if shops do not do more to charge for their use. This confirmed an article written in the Daily Mail by Prime Minister Gordon Brown (as part of its 'Banish the Bags' campaign) warning retailers that he will force them to cut down on plastic bag use if they do not act voluntarily.
As a result, the Packaging and Films Association (PAFA) and Carrier Bag Consortium (CBC) have threatened to take the government to court over the potential legislation. They condemned the announcement as 'a diversionary tactic designed to focus attention away from the government's failures.' PAFA Chief Executive David Tyson said they would put up a fight as carrier bags 'if wisely used and responsibly recycled, are the best choice consumers can make'. PAFA has long argued that bag campaigns divert attention away from bigger environmental issues, and that forcing customers to switch to heavier alternative bags and increased packaging has a detrimental impact on the environment.
The Budget announcement was also criticised by the British Plastics Association and British Retail Consortium.
However, Mr Brown was left slightly red-faced when the Conservatives released official figures which show that government departments and agencies have bought over 1.2m plastic bags branded with their logos over the last two years. It has since been announced that their use of plastic bags for promotional purposes will stop with immediate effect.
In February, WRAP announced that retailers have already cut the number of plastic carrier bags by one million over the past year. In 2007, 21 of the UK 's leading high-street and grocery retailers signed an agreement to cut the environmental impact of bags by 25% by the end of 2008. By February, the number of bags used in the previous year was reduced from 13.4 billion to 12.4 billion - a figure branded 'disappointing' by WRAP. The reduction in number of bags also reduced the amount of virgin plastic used by 14%, which does put the retailers on target to meet the 25% reduction on environmental impact.
Marks and Spencer announced that, from 6 May, it will be introducing a 5p charge for food carrier bags in all its UK stores (with the exception of their mini food bags). All profits from the charge will go to environmental charity Groundwork for projects to provide parks, play areas and gardens in neighbourhoods across the UK . M & S also announced that it now uses 100% post-consumer recycled plastic in non-food carrier bags and bags for life.
On the same day that M & S revealed its carrier bag charge, the Co-operative revealed that it will run a six-week trial of home-compostable carrier bags at 11 of its stores. If the trial proves successful, it will be rolled out more widely. As well as the home-compostable bag, shoppers will be able to choose from a Fairtrade cotton bag or a plastic bag for life, which the Co-op will replace for free and recycle. Recycling bins for throwaway plastic bags are being installed in stores.
From June, Asda customers will have to request carrier bags from its checkout operators - with the aim of reducing their use by 20%. It will launch a new range of reusable bags to coincide with the start of this initiative. And Morrisons will give away 10 million free recyclable bags in May, as well as reducing the plastic content of its standard carrier bags and introducing small-sized bags to avoid use of the full-sized bags.
Help the Aged has also announced that it will be phasing out plastic carrier bags in its shops ahead of a complete ban to coincide with National Recycle Now week in June. Branches will hand out a variety of reused bags and cardboard boxes in the weeks leading up to the ban to minimise the inconvenience for customers. The charity is also considering using recyclable materials for the plastic collection bags which are regularly delivered to homes across the country to collect unwanted goods to sell in stores.
In February, Recycle for London and thelondonpaper joined forces to launch a plastic bag free day for London. 10,000 free reusable cotton bags were handed out on the streets of London as part of the campaign, which is supported by Mayor of London Ken Livingstone. Londoners use 2.2 billion plastic bags per year - only 1 in 200 of which are recycled.
Further afield, it was announced that stores in New York City occupying over 465 m2 or with five or more locations in the city will soon have to establish an in-store recycling programme for plastic bags, thanks to the introduction of the New York City Plastic Carryout Bag Recycling Law. The New York sanitation department estimates that plastic bags and other plastic film, also covered by the legislation, account for 4% to 5% of the city's residential waste.
For more information on both sides of the debate, have a look at - http://www.pafa.org.uk and www.wrap.org.uk "
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