WRAP calls for throwaway bag tax

The Waste and Resources Action Programme said yesterday that a levy on disposable carriers could help play a “significant role” in changing consumer behaviour by giving a major incentive to re-use.

The plea comes following disappointment from WRAP over the outcomes of a voluntary agreement between retailers to tackle plastic bag waste, and signals by Gordon Brown that the government may take action (see letsrecycle.com story).

And, this could be taken into consideration when Chancellor Alistair Darling delivers his budget tomorrow.

However, WRAP stressed that if any tax or levy was introduced, it must be designed to minimise harmful side effects and must tackle all carrier bags – not just those made of one material.

Taxes must also overtly encourage the re-use of bags, for example through the take up of “bags for life”, to help shoppers reduce the cost of such measures, the organisation added.

WRAP called for the proceeds generated from any tax to be used to fund schemes to benefit the environment – such as improved local recycling facilities, encouraging reductions in food waste and making available a number of limited “bags for life” free to consumers before any charge was introduced.

Liz Goodwin, WRAP chief executive, said: “Carrier bags are iconic in our throwaway society. Action by businesses and government on this issue could help focus our attention on other key environmental issues such as the 5.9 million tonnes of packaging and the 6.7 million tonnes of food that we are throwing away each year.

“This debate around carrier bags will lead to a wider awareness of our impact on the environment. Large benefits will be realised if it helps change our behaviour in other environmentally beneficial ways for example by wasting less and recycling more.”

She added: “We at WRAP believe it is important to use funds raised by any tax or levy to encourage behaviour which more widely benefits the environment. This could include improved recycling facilities and helping us all reduce food waste.”

CBC

Responding to WRAP's announcement, a spokesman for the Carrier Bag Consortium – representing the producers and distributors of plastic carrier bags – said that the principles of a throwaway bag tax were “completely wrong”.

In particular, he said that tax would hit those who were least able to afford it, and that consumers should be educated to reuse their lightweight carrier bags instead.

The Consortium added that many lightweight bags were not thrown out by 80% of consumers, and were used to wrap rubbish which would otherwise require heavier duty bin liners – which would provide more waste.

The spokesman said: “We don't believe we should just tax everything. We have to weigh up the impacts across the whole life cycle. We believe that the best option is to inform and educate people to reuse.”

Biodegradable

Suggesting another way to tackle plastic bag waste, plastic manufacturer Symphony Environmental Technologies Plc called for all bags to be biodegradable.

The company has developed an “oxo-biodegradable” process in which an additive is added to bags at the manufacturing stage to reduce their life span of bags to a few months.

The company claims that the bags are 400 times cheaper than starch-based bags and because they are oil based, emit no methane to landfill.

It also says they are better than cotton or jute reusable bags which are often imported from the Far East,provide litter which is harder to break down, and also emit methane.

The company said: “Plastic bags should be made oxo-biodegradable. If this were done, there would be no further accumulation of plastic waste in the environment. In Brazil and Argentina and in Delhi, there is already legislation requiring shopping bags to be degradable.”