Technology

Calls for plastic bag ban in England

bags

Environmental organisations have kicked off a campaign calling on government to introduce a levy on single-use carrier bags in England, after levies in Wales and Ireland have proved successful with consumers and have lowered plastic bag waste.

The Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE), Keep Britain Tidy, the Marine Conservation Society (MCS) and Surfers Against Sewage (SAS) are calling on the English government to introduce a small levy on all single-use bags as part of the ‘Break the Bag Habit’ campaign.

The campaign comes after figures released by WRAP in July indicated that for the second year running, the number of plastic bags used by English consumers has increased, while the figures for Wales (where there is currently a levy in place) have dropped. According to WRAP, businesses in the UK issued plastic bags at a rate of 254 a second and in England alone, plastic bag usage in 2011 was up by 7.5 per cent. The report also highlighted the fact that England is the only home nation in the UK to not have a single-use bag levy in place or to be actively seeking to implement one.

Phil Barton, Chief Executive of Keep Britain Tidy’s, welcomed the ‘Break the Bag Habit’ campaign, saying: “The sight of a carrier bag blowing down the high street like tumbleweed is one with which we are all familiar. It is time to tackle this problem once and for all and we urge the government to follow Wales’ example and introduce a levy in England.”

After the first year of Wales’ plastic bag levy, retailers estimated that the number of single-use bags issued fell by between 70 and 96 per cent, and, according to Ireland’s 2011 report into the plastic bag levy, since their ban in 2002, plastic bag use has fallen by 90 per cent.

Samantha Harding, Campaign Manager for CPRE’s ‘Stop the Drop’, said: “Bag levies have been proven to work in Ireland and Wales. A levy is coming soon to Northern Ireland and Scotland is already consulting on introducing one. Why must the English countryside be the last to benefit from good environmental policies?”

Many retailers in the UK, including M&S, have already introduced charges for their single-use plastic bags, but the campaign is focused on urging government to bring in a national ban on the carrier bags across England for both aesthetic and environmental reasons.

Dr Sue Kinsey, Litter Policy Officer for MCS, joined the campaign in order to highlight and reduce the dangers plastic bags pose to marine life around English waters: “Single use bags and plastic bags in particular are a menace to the amazing marine wildlife found in English waters. Animals get entangled in them and mistake them for food. This can lead to infections, strangulation, starvation and even death. A levy is a simple, effective way to stop such a pervasive and ubiquitous form of pollution.”

Aside from environmental factors, plastic bags are also an eye-sore, says Andy Cummins, Campaign Director of SAS: “Throughout the year, around the country, thousands of SAS supporters are stepping over plastic bags on the way to the surf. Consumers, retailers and even the Prime Minister support the bag levy. A levy will reduce litter and protect the environment, so David Cameron, it’s time England carried the bag levy too.”

The Break the Bag Habit campaign is now calling for English (and UK) residents to email their MP in a petition to the government.

Further information on the campaign can be found on the Keep Britain Tidy website, and a link to join the petition can be found on the SAS website.