Plastic ban in the bag

MATT SMITH
May 18, 2012 12.01am
The Mercury

PLASTIC bags will be banned across Tasmania with the help of funds delivered in the next three years.

More than $700,000 has been earmarked to develop legislation that will move towards banning lightweight, non-biodegradable plastic check-out bags.

The ban will follow the lead of East Coast town Coles Bay which, in 2003, became the first Australian town to ban plastic bags.

Environment Minister Brian Wightman said the funding would be used for the legislation, consultation with retailers, education campaigns and compliance once the ban is in place.

The ban has tripartite support in the Tasmanian Parliament.

“We know plastic bags are among the worst and most visible types of waste clogging our environment, and posing a threat to our wildlife,” Mr Wightman said.

“Tasmanians want a clean and a healthy environment, and the lightweight, non-degradable plastic bags remain a symbol of waste, litter, and inefficient use of community resources.”

Mr Wightman praised the Greens for working co-operatively with Government to “help deliver this outcome”.

Greens leader Nick McKim said the ban “moves a tripartite vote of support for a Greens policy initiative into 3-D reality.”
Mr Wightman said the ban would be implemented as part of an overall improvement in waste and litter management and resource recovery continuing work being undertaken in the Tasmanian Waste and Resource Management Strategy.