"This is an ambitious but very practical agreement and we are pleased that the retailers have agreed to work with us and UK consumers in such a positive way. Consumers are increasingly aware that they can make positive choices to help the environment in the way they shop. By signing up to this statement, the UK’s retailers have also committed to help their customers to reduce, reuse and recycle their carrier bags"
Ben Bradshaw, Local Environment Minister
UK retailers agreed yesterday to reduce the overall environmental impact of their carrier bags by 25% by the end of 2008. Representatives from all areas of the retail sector are parties to the agreement.
The agreement is in response to calls for action from environment ministers in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, who have agreed to support the campaign, together with the British Retail Consortium (BRC) and WRAP (the Waste and Resources Action Programme), which manages waste prevention programmes for the four governments.
If achieved, the 25% reduction target could reduce carbon dioxide emissions by up to 58,500 tonnes a year, equivalent to taking 18,000 cars off the road for a year. Defra says that this is another example of the practical measures that can be taken to help tackle climate change.
The agreement is intended to allow individual retailers to respond in ways that are best suited to their customers and type of trading, and recognises that a number are already addressing this issue through various approaches.
Retailers will be reducing the environmental impact of bags by:
- encouraging customers to reduce the number of carrier bags they use
- reducing the impact of each carrier bag (eg by using less material or incorporating recycled content)
- enabling the recycling of more carrier bags where appropriate
- There will also be further work to encourage carrier bag re-use.
Local environment minister Ben Bradshaw said:
"This is an ambitious but very practical agreement and we are pleased that the retailers have agreed to work with us and UK consumers in such a positive way.
"Consumers are increasingly aware that they can make positive choices to help the environment in the way they shop. By signing up to this statement, the UK’s retailers have also committed to help their customers to reduce, reuse and recycle their carrier bags.”
In Scotland, Environment Minister, Ross Finnie has described this as a “small but significant step”.
Local Government Association's response
Responding yesterday to the agreement made by UK retailers to cut the environmental impact of their carrier bags by 25% by the end of 2008, Cllr Paul Bettison, Chairman of the Local Government Association Environment Board, said:
“Around 13 billion plastic carrier bags are currently used every year in the UK. Today’s pledge by retailers demonstrates that they recognise the adverse impact plastic carrier bags have on the environment. However, agreeing to reduce the environmental impact of plastic bags by a quarter in almost two years time does not go far enough. Most people throw their bags straight into the bin once they’ve unpacked their shopping which means the bag ends up being buried in landfill.
“Councils are on the frontline in the fight against climate change and are working hard to reduce the amount of waste sent to landfill. Instead we call on retailers to be more innovative in this area. Retailers should think of giving customers reusable fabric bags as some responsible businesses do already here and abroad."
Plastic bags levy
Environmental organisations are reported to feel that this does not go far enough and there should be a plastic bags levy as in Ireland.
Meanwhile the Irish Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government has announced that the environmental levy on plastic shopping bags would be increased from 15c (10p) to 22c (15p) per bag with effect from 1st July 2007, a 46.7% rise.
There have been reports that the reduction of use of carrier bags in Ireland has led to a major increase in the sale of disposable bags for waste bins etc, which may be self defeating.