Manufacturers hit out at attempts to ban plastic carrier bags

The Packaging and Films Association (PAFA) and the Carrier Bag Consortium have spoken out as Brighton and Hove city council became the latest authority to support moves to encourage local businesses to “ban” plastic carrier bags.

However, PAFA and the Consortium have said that an outright elimination of plastic carrier bags will not work and that their stance is backed by the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP).

Councils do not have legal powers to ban plastic bags but can support voluntary agreements with retailers. Brighton and Hove councillors have said their bid to stop retailers handing out plastic bags and encourage shoppers to carry reusable bags will reduce waste.

Councillor Maria Caulfield said: “The elimination of plastic bags given out by supermarkets and convenience stores would make a significant contribution to Brighton and Hove's ability to meet its waste reduction targets.”

Brighton's actions follow proposals to reduce plastic carrier bags in the capital, which local authority organisation London Councils intends to incorporate into the 10th London Local Authorities Bill (see letsrecycle.com story).

This is due to be submitted to Parliament in November and London Councils' consultation into the proposals ended last Friday (October 26, 2007). The organisation asked for views on a number of options which range from a total ban on all carrier bags to a ban on plastic bags only, and from a number of suggested levys to doing nothing at all. PAFA wrote to its members, urging them to support the latter.

Other action to reduce the use of plastic bags has been seen recently in Modbury, South Devon, Overton in Hampshire, and Hebden Bridge in Yorkshire. Wantage in Oxfordshire is pursuing a similar policy this Christmas (see letsrecycle.com story).

“Greenwash”

The plastic bag industry argues that banning or taxing the bags is not the solution. It has criticised a plastic bag levy introduced in Ireland in 2002, which now stands at 22 cents per bag, and which was hailed a success after it cut the amount of plastic carrier bags used by consumers by 90%.

But PAFA pointed out that sales of bin liners increased because less plastic bags were available. It said supermarket chain Tesco experienced a 77% increase in pedal bin liners sales as a result.

Both PAFA and the Carrier Bag Consortium – an alliance of carrier bag manufacturers – endorsed comments made by Liz Goodwin, chief executive of the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP), in The Daily Telegraph last month.

Dr Goodwin said: “We have got to remember that taxes and levies can have perverse effects – such as making people use more plastic rather than less.”

The Carrier Bag Consortium said in a statement following her comments: “WRAP is right to speak out against misguided 'greenwash' on plastic bans and taxes. It is the UK's expert organisation and has taken a lead in the face of growing myth and misinformation.”

Government

If needs be, I will take on the private members' Bill and take my chances in Parliament. It's far more likely people will support it now than back then

 
Mike Pringle, MSP

When it comes to government, Downing Street has yet to make a firm commitment to banning plastic bags, as have either the Welsh or Scottish Parliaments, although they are supporting the Courtauld Commitment spearheaded by WRAP. This has seen major retailers such as Waitrose and Tesco sign-up to a voluntary pledge to cut packaging waste growth and deliver absolute reductions.

The governement wants to reduce the number of paper and plastic carrier bags handed out by retailers by 25% by 2008. In the English Waste Strategy published in May, it pledged to review this target and make further reductions by 2010.

The strategy also stated: “In the longer term, the government envisages that the single-use carrier bag, issued free at point of sale, will become a thing of the past.”

In Scotland, Scottish MSP Mike Pringle put forward a private members' Bill proposing a tax on plastic carrier bags in Scotland in 2006. He withdrew this after then environment minister Ross Finnie agreed to take action on the subject of carrier bags nationally (see letsrecycle.com story).

Mr Pringle told letsrecycle.com this week he would take action again if he did not see the Scottish Parliament commit to tackle plastic bags by mid-2008.

He explained: “If needs be, I will take on the private members' Bill and take my chances in Parliament. It's far more likely people will support it now than back then.”

A petition calling for plastic bags to be banned was presented to the National Assembly for Wales earlier this year and government officials are presently scrutinising the government's legislative powers to see if it can take ths issue further.

If it falls outside the devolved government's remit, the Assembly will consider asking Westminster to grant the necessary powers so it can consider an outright ban on plastic carrier bags.