The Assembly's environment committee said that a nationwide tax would be more effective than the capital-only ban on throwaway shopping bags currently being sought by the London boroughs through umbrella organisation London Councils.
But one member of the committee has refused to put his name to the report published on Wednesday, concerned at the impact of a bag ban or levy on smaller retailers.
London shops hand out 1.6 billion carrier bags every year, the committee said, suggesting that while some shopping bags can be re-used, the majority end up in landfill sites.
Darren Johnson AM, chair of the committee said: “There is broad consensus amongst London supermarkets and consumers to reduce consumption of carrier bags but our investigation found that regional action is not necessarily the best way forward.
“London Councils' proposals to ban single-use shopping bags is a step in the right direction but it is restricted to London. This is a national problem requiring a national solution,” he added.
During the inquiry, Mr Johnson visited Ireland where he said the levy on plastic bags had delivered a 94% reduction in their use.
In its report, the Committee suggested that arguments against a levy “perhaps deliberately misunderstand how a levy works”. It explained: “Supermarkets informed us that customers want the availability of a bag at the checkout when it comes down to it, that they want a ‘fallback' option. Under a levy customers would still have a fallback option. It would just cost them 10p.”
Opposition
Far from reducing waste, the introduction of a compulsory levy on plastic bags increased the use of bin liners in Ireland.
Peter Hulme Cross AM
Despite the committee report's firm backing for a national bag levy, one member of the committee refused to put his name to the findings of the investigation on shopping bags.
Peter Hulme Cross, one of two Assembly members from the One London group, who were formerly members of the UK Independence Party, stated that he “does not support the recommendations or argument” of the committee's final report on shopping bags.
In a statement outlining his opposition to report, he said he supported voluntary agreements to cut the impact of plastic bags on the environment, and that a ban or levy on bags would hit small businesses.
Stating the view of his One London Group, he said: “In particular, we remain concerned that any levy or ban would cause extra work for smaller businesses, who are already complaining about the amount they pay in taxes and the amount of paperwork they have to do. We are also concerned that far from reducing waste, the introduction of a compulsory levy on plastic bags increased the use of bin liners in Ireland (by 77%), which are harder to recycle and really are single use, and of paper bags (actual figure is under dispute).
“No recommendations should be made without an analysis of reuse of plastic bags and what will substitute for them,” he added.
Targets
As well as calling for a national bag tax, the Committee report called for tougher measures to force retailers to cut down on the use of disposable shopping bags.
Discussing the voluntary agreement between retailers, government and the Waste & Resources Action Programmes to reduce the environmental impact of carrier bag usage by 25% by the end of 2008, it said more challenging targets are needed.
It explained that Sainsbury's is seeking to reduce the environmental impact of its bags by 50% by the end of 2008, Marks and Spencer is already aiming for a 33% reduction by 2012; and Tesco claims to have already met its target a year ahead of schedule.
London Councils
Responding to the report from the London Assembly, London Councils executive member for sustainability, Councillor Sean Brennan said: “As the instigators of the Bill to ban the distribution of free throw away shopping bags in the capital, London Councils welcomes the Assembly's moves to further reduce plastic bags use across the country.
“We took the decision to present a Bill to Parliament last month to ban the distribution of free, throw away shopping bags in the capital following an extensive London-wide consultation. Council leaders believe that a ban is the most effective way of reducing plastic bag use in the capital. A levy is something only the government could implement on a national scale,” Cllr Brennan added.
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