Plastic Shopping Bag Issues

SOURCE: PACIA Recycling

Litter

• Analysis of litter collections proves less than 1% of litter is plastic supermarket checkout bags (Source: Clean Up Australia)
• Overseas research indicates that people worry less about littering if they think products will degrade
• Banning plastic bags will not solve the litter problem. It is a behavioural issue, not a product issue
• Best solution is education, a strong focus on recycling and enforcement of penalties for littering

Degradable

• Plastic bags are photo-degradable but need U.V. light
• Could be made bio-degradable with starch and other additives but not a solution:-
  a. Would send wrong message to litterers
  b. Will destroy the existing and emerging plastics recycling industry
  c. The process of degradation will give off greenhouse gases
  d. Degradation will increase risk of ground water contamination in landfill where most bags finish up

Re-Use

• 75% of plastic shopping bags have a recognised second use as kitchen tidy liners, nappy bags, household storage, etc.
• This is a very efficient second use product that conserves resources and should be encouraged
• There is no sense in banning plastic shopping bags only to create a huge increase in the use of plastic bin liners
• Solution is to encourage re-use or recycling of shopping bags

Landfill

• Most households use plastic shopping bags to line rubbish bins. This is a very appropriate second use. The bags do not degrade in landfill, so no greenhouse gases are emitted nor ground water polluted
• All plastic waste to landfill represents around 4% of landfill
• The main issue with landfill is too much organic matter, 15% is food, which when degrading emits tonnes of greenhouse gases

Recycling

• The current plastic checkout bag is being recycled back into shopping Bags  ""Closing the Loop""
• This is a very efficient use of the earth's resources
• Closed loop system already exists in most supermarkets
• Should be encouraged with tax breaks
• Supermarkets should be encouraged to take back surplus shopping bags for recycling
• Australian public respond positively to recycling and leads the world
• Bags must be Australian to ensure compliance with recycling standards and targets

Paper vs Plastic Bags

• Plastic bags have handles and are waterproof
• Paper cost is 800% higher than plastic, which would be passed onto consumers
• Paper uses four times the energy on a cradle to grave analysis
• Plastic leaves smallest footprint on earth's environment
• Not logical to replace plastic for paper at greater environment cost

Bring your own bag?

• Not practical for many people
• Shopping habits have changed  we shop more often and on impulse
• Tests with bag-free lanes show people want speed and convenience
• Population change - older people, weight is an issue if bags over-filled
• Increased shoplifting and trolley stealing costs will be passed on to the consumer
• Health problems with contaminated bags used previously for fresh meat or cleaning products, then for vegetables. Who will be responsible for food safety?
• Slower checkouts increase costs for consumers

Government Tax Costs

• Consumers 25¢ proposed tax
• Average shopper uses 16 bags per week
• Cost $200 per year
• Impacts heavily on people in society who can least afford it
• Will not change people's behaviour re littering
• Achieves nothing but revenue for the Government
• Is not a solution

Government Ban

• Not practical  this product is used in a lot of areas besides supermarkets.
• How could it be policed? What if supermarkets were banned from using plastic bags, but pharmacies and takeaway food outlets still used them?
• A ban does not achieve any desirable environmental outcome
• No practical, effective alternatives if we are honest about health and environment issues

What is the Problem?

• Lack of knowledge about plastic has enabled this issue to be promoted by various groups for votes rather than tackle the serious environmental issues facing Australia
• People are being made to feel guilty for living in a modern society
• Polling shows people want a solution without radically changing their lifestyle. People want recycling as it offers a solution and they are doing their bit for the environment

Plastic Bags

• Are safe, non-toxic, used in food packaging, efficient and low cost to consumers, recyclable, re-usable and use the least amount of earth's resources

Solution

• Have stronger, larger, thicker bags
• Ensure the bags are filled
• Re-use them responsibly
• Ask for surplus bags to be recycled back into shopper bags at your supermarket
• Ensure supermarkets support closed loop recycling of shopper bags

Marine and Bird Life

• There is no evidence that any plastic shopping bags have harmed marine life. In fact, when the Queensland
• Government insisted that plastic fishing bait bags be made of degradable plastic against the industry's advice, there was an increase in littering as people's attitude was: ""It doesn't matter, it will degrade"". This action increased the litter problem and risk to marine and bird life because the bags gradually degraded to ""bite-sized"" pieces.

Other Countries:

Ireland

• No recycling industry to protect
• Litter problem 20 times bigger than Australia
• Replaced plastic with paper knowing it uses more scarce resources
• Saw a huge increase sales of plastic garbage bags
• Very large economic cost to society
• Not appropriate for Australia where we have very well developed recycling industry
• Now imposing taxes on chewing gum, polystyrene and ATM receipts

South Africa

• Huge litter problem
• Government ban on lighter gauge bags
• Mandatory recycling of plastic bags
• Larger bags introduced to use fewer bags in total
• Heavier bags easier to recycle
• Stay with plastic

Germany

• Staying with plastic
• Encourage recycling
• Supermarket sells plastic bags
• Bag is thicker and stronger to encourage re-use
• When bag is old, supermarkets replace at no cost

UK

• Staying with plastic
• Larger and thicker
• Encouraging recycling
• Supermarkets take bags back for recycling