22/03/2005 - Raising
awareness among all retailers is the
key to cutting plastic bag use, according
to a report released today by the Minister
for Environment and Heritage, Senator
Ian Campbell, and Planet Ark Managing
Director Jon Dee.
Convening a plastic bags roundtable
of industry and environment groups held
at Parliament House, Senator Campbell
said the Planet Ark report revealed
great disparities in how non-supermarket
retailers were responding to the challenge
to cut plastic bags use by 50 per cent
by the end of 2005.
"I am pleased to see that some
stores surveyed by Planet Ark for the
Australian Government are achieving
even better results than the supermarkets,
which we know are on track to meet their
targets," Senator Campbell said.
"Bunnings, for example, has cut
plastic bags use by 73 per cent - that's
21 million plastic bags.
"However, of the 129 non-supermarket
retailers surveyed in this study 47
per cent had not heard of the ARA's
target of a 50 per cent reduction, or
its Code of Practice on plastic bag
use.
"Cost is also an issue with 51
per cent saying they use plastic bags
because they are cheap. Meanwhile 46
per cent said it was habit and 43 per
cent also stated convenience as a reason."
Today's roundtable, which coincides
with World Water Day, also marks the
launch of Clean Up Australia's 2005
"Say NO to Plastic Bags" campaign.
The Chairman and founder of Clean Up
Australia, Ian Kiernan AO, also attended
the roundtable.
"Congratulations must again go
to Clean Up Australia for running this
campaign, which the Australian Government
has supported as a partner since it
began," Senator Campbell said.
"World Water Day is a timely reminder
that every year thousands of marine
animals are killed by plastic bag debris.
The solution is simple - we need to
step up our efforts to encourage shoppers
to say no to plastic bags, and simultaneously
encourage retailers to provide alternatives.
"Despite the action taken by supermarkets,
single use plastic bags in the litter
stream are increasing. Clean Up Australia's
detailed plastic bag litter surveys
conducted in the Greater Sydney region
in 2003 and 2004 suggest that plastic
bag numbers are still going up."
Mr Kiernan said: "Ridding plastic
bags from our environment as quickly
as possible must become the focus for
all retailers."
