MoreThanWaste.com - Plastic bag debate should lead to wider environmental benefits (10/03/2008)

"Carrier bags are iconic of our throwaway society. Action by business and Government on this issue could help focus our attention on other key environmental issues...."

Liz Goodwin, Chief Executive of WRAP

Banbury, England: The UK Government has signalled that it will take action to end the use of “single use” plastic bags, possibly through a tax or levy.

However packaging and waste advisory body -WRAP (Waste and Resource Action Programme) - considers that any tax or levy must be designed to minimise harmful side effects. A levy should cover all carrier bags and not just one material and must “overtly encourage the re-use of bags, for example through the take up of 'bags for life'”..

Free single-use carrier bags are a highly visible part of litter, they do not degrade quickly and they are an icon of our throwaway society, according to WRAP. The organisation says that research shows there is a strong consumer will to cut the environmental impact of free single-use bags, but that it is harder to get consumers into the habit of re-use.

Further, WRAP wants proceeds from any tax or levy to be used to fund schemes which encourage behaviour which benefits the environment. This could include improved local recycling facilities for all materials, encouraging reductions in food waste, and making available a limited number of free “bags for life” to consumers for a period before any charge is introduced.

Liz Goodwin, Chief Executive of WRAP, said: “Carrier bags are iconic of our throwaway society. Action by business and Government on this issue could help focus our attention on other key environmental issues such as the 5.9 million tonnes of packaging and the 6.7 million tonnes of food that we are throwing away each year. This debate around carrier bags will lead to a wider awareness of our impact on the environment. Large benefits will be realised if it helps change our behaviour in other environmentally beneficial ways for example by wasting less and recycling more.”

She added: “We at WRAP believe it is important to use funds raised by any tax or levy to encourage behaviour which more widely benefits the environment. This could include improved recycling facilities and helping us all reduce food waste.”

Further information

WRAP works in partnership to encourage and enable businesses and consumers to be more efficient in their use of materials and recycle more things more often. This helps to minimise landfill, reduce carbon emissions and improve our environment.

Established as a not-for-profit company in 2000, WRAP is backed by government funding from England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Web site: http://www.wrap.org.uk.


	Plastic bag debate should lead to wider environmental benefits (10/03/2008) "Carrier bags are iconic of our throwaway society. Action by business and Government on this issue could help focus our attention on other key environmental issues...." Liz Goodwin, Chief Executive of WRAP Banbury, England: The UK Government has signalled that it will take action to end the use of “single use” plastic bags, possibly through a tax or levy. However packaging and waste advisory body -WRAP (Waste and Resource Action Programme) - considers that any tax or levy must be designed to minimise harmful side effects. A levy should cover all carrier bags and not just one material and must “overtly encourage the re-use of bags, for example through the take up of 'bags for life'”.. Free single-use carrier bags are a highly visible part of litter, they do not degrade quickly and they are an icon of our throwaway society, according to WRAP. The organisation says that research shows there is a strong consumer will to cut the environmental impact of free single-use bags, but that it is harder to get consumers into the habit of re-use. Further, WRAP wants proceeds from any tax or levy to be used to fund schemes which encourage behaviour which benefits the environment. This could include improved local recycling facilities for all materials, encouraging reductions in food waste, and making available a limited number of free “bags for life” to consumers for a period before any charge is introduced. Liz Goodwin, Chief Executive of WRAP, said: “Carrier bags are iconic of our throwaway society. Action by business and Government on this issue could help focus our attention on other key environmental issues such as the 5.9 million tonnes of packaging and the 6.7 million tonnes of food that we are throwing away each year. This debate around carrier bags will lead to a wider awareness of our impact on the environment. Large benefits will be realised if it helps change our behaviour in other environmentally beneficial ways for example by wasting less and recycling more.” She added: “We at WRAP believe it is important to use funds raised by any tax or levy to encourage behaviour which more widely benefits the environment. This could include improved recycling facilities and helping us all reduce food waste.” Further information WRAP works in partnership to encourage and enable businesses and consumers to be more efficient in their use of materials and recycle more things more often. This helps to minimise landfill, reduce carbon emissions and improve our environment. Established as a not-for-profit company in 2000, WRAP is backed by government funding from England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Web site: http://www.wrap.org.uk.