Retailers lobby for grace period ahead of plastic bag ban

Tom Minear, State Political Editor

October 27, 2019

HERALDSUN.COM.AU

From Friday, lightweight plastic bags will be illegal in Victoria, however the Australian Retailers Association is worried that businesses may not be able to comply with the ban.

Lightweight plastic bags will be illegal in Victoria from this Friday but concerns remain that some retailers are unprepared for the ban.

The Australian Retailers Association is lobbying the Environment Protection Authority to give businesses an official grace period until March 31 next year to stop giving out single-use bags.

But while the government is willing to take a “common sense approach” from November 1, Environment Minister Lily D’Ambrosio said: “Retailers have had more than a year to get ready for this ban and we expect them to comply.”

Businesses who ignore the ban can face fines of up to $49,500, and the EPA will be in charge of gathering intelligence and making “risk-based” enforcement decisions.

Victorians are also encouraged to report retailers flouting the ban to the EPA’s 24-hour pollution hotline on 1300 372 842.

“Victorians want to reduce plastic pollution and they rightly expect retailers to play their part,” Ms D’Ambrosio said.

“The retail sector is broadly supportive and we’ll continue educating, engaging and supporting businesses to comply.”

In a letter to the EPA last month, ARA boss Russell Zimmerman warned thousands of retailers had not been approached by the National Retailers Association, which was contracted by the state government to run an education campaign.

After not receiving a response, Mr Zimmerman followed up on October 14 and pushed for the official grace period.

He also raised concerns that the specific ban on bags with a thickness of 35 microns or less was different to existing laws in South Australia, Queensland, Tasmania and the Australian Capital Territory.

It is understood the government chose to follow the lead of Western Australia which was the most recent jurisdiction to ban single-use bags last year.

The NRA conducted more than 180 tours of shopping centres and precincts to help alert retailers to the law change.