Australians 'hooked on plastic bags'

20 Mar 2008, 11:26 am   -   Source: SBS staff with agencies
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Environmental groups say a report that shows the number of plastic bags in use is on the rise is evidence the government's phase-out is not working.

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A report that shows the number of plastic bags in use is on the rise is evidence the government's phase-out is not working, environmental groups say.

A leaked report for the federal government shows more than 4 billion plastic bags were used in 2007, up from 3.3 billion the previous year.

Organiser of the national bag campaign, John Dee, said the government must introduce a levy on plastic bags to reduce the number being produced.

"Despite industry telling us that plastic bag usage is going down, this confidential draft report that's been prepared for the federal government, shows that plastic bag usage has actually skyrocketed," Mr Dee told ABC Radio.

"Plastic bag usage has skyrocketed so heavily I think the federal government and state governments should now be looking at either having a mandatory plastic bag charge, which we know works, or they should phase out these plastic bags altogether."

Director of the Australian Retailers Association, Richard Evans, is opposed to an outright ban or levy.

"If the government wants to get rid of plastic bags, retailers will respond, but consumers will pay," Mr Evans told ABC Radio.

"The question is why is everyone upset about plastic bags? It's because of the litter ... it's a litter management issue and a consumer education issue as opposed to a plastic bag issue."

Federal Environment Minister Peter Garrett wants plastic bags phased out completely by the end of the year but said the government was opposed to a levy.

He will meet with his state and territory counterparts on April 17 to discuss alternative solutions.

"We don't think a commonwealth levy is the right way to go but we do want to see a phase-out," Mr Garrett told ABC Radio.

"We will look at the other options on the table and we need to discuss it and agree it with our state colleagues.

"We need to sit around the table, look at the latest up-to-date data, consider the report that's in front of us and then make a decision."

Plastic bags should be banned across Australia, rather than introducing a levy, Australian Greens senator Kerry Nettle says.

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