The latest figures reveal that, after a number of years of decline, plastic bag use has increased again. Although it has been avoided before, is it now time to face legislation on plastic bags in the UK?
Each year millions of plastic shopping bags are improperly disposed of and cause severe harm to the environment. These plastic bags are extremely durable, which may be good for carrying your shopping, but means they are very slow to decompose (up to 1000 years). As they decompose, toxic chemicals leach from the plastic bags into soils, lakes, rivers and oceans, causing environmental damage. Furthermore, plastic bags are one of the most common types of litter in inhabited areas; not only do they become an eyesore, they can also block drainage systems and contribute to flooding. Additionally, more and more of these plastic bags are being found floating in oceans. Plastic bags washed out to sea pose a threat to marine life; the bags can strangle wildlife or cause choking if ingested [1].
In 2006, nearly 11 billion single-use plastic bags were used in England, becoming a major environmental issue. Despite support from many sides, the government decided against a ban or tax on the bags, instead allowing retailers to create a voluntary agreement. The voluntary agreement initially helped to cut the number of plastic bags used. By 2009, plastic bag use was down by roughly 40% to fewer than 6.5 billion. However, latest figures from the government’s Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) show that in 2010, bag use rose by about 5% to 6.8 billion, suggesting that the agreement had only a limited success (see following table) [2].
| Year | Number of plastic bags used (billion) |
| 2006 | 11.0 |
| 2007 | 10.0 |
| 2008 | 7.0 |
| 2009 | 6.5 |
| 2010 | 6.8 |
Is legislation the answer?
No:
The British Retail Consortium (BRC) blamed the increase in plastic bag use on rising sales and shoppers making more short trips to stores rather than a single big weekly shop [3].
Bob Gordon (head of environment at the BRC) said: “It’s encouraging to see the majority of consumers are continuing to reuse their carrier bags and are taking as few new bags as possible. We urge customers to keep that up, particularly when changing shopping habits, including more trips to stores, present a challenge to maintaining the progress made in recent years” [4].
Gordon is against plastic bag legislation, especially in these difficult financial times. He believes that “customers are changing their habits without the need for compulsory bag bans or charges” and went on to say that “the overall numbers remain the sort of result other environmental campaigns can only dream of”. Gordon concluded that “retailers, working with consumers, will continue to do all they can to drive down the number of carrier bags being given out wherever possible but it’s time to accept bags are not the be-all and end-all of environmental issues” [4].
Yes:
The Green Party doesn’t agree. They believe that the only way to achieve a “serious and sustainable decrease” in plastic bag use is by introducing government legislation – a compulsory 10 pence tax on every plastic bag used [5].
A spokesperson said: “From the oil-based materials used in their production to the vast numbers lying as waste in open landfill sites, damaging wildlife and disfiguring public spaces, the Green Party will be glad to see plastic bags disappear” [5].
Recycling Minister Lord Henley said that “retailers need to take responsibility and lift their game to cut down on the number of single use carrier bags they hand out” and stated that the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) is seriously considering legislation to force supermarkets to stop handing out bags [5].
Legislation in the UK
A number of countries are implementing bag reduction strategies and there is proof in the UK that legislation works.
The latest WRAP figures showed a decline in the number of plastic bags used in Northern Ireland and Wales, the two countries that have introduced legislation to cut plastic bag use. However, plastic bag use has risen in England and Scotland, where no such legislation is in place. Between 2009 and 2010, Northern Ireland and Wales saw plastic bag use drop by 14% and 7%, respectively. However, plastic bag use in England and Scotland rose by 7% and 9%, respectively [4].
It is believed that the imminent 5 pence charge for plastic shopping bags in Wales, starting this October, helped cut the bag use in 2010. John Griffiths, Welsh environment minister, believes that legislation is the best way to drive down plastic bag use because voluntary agreements with retailers do not achieve enough. He said that a carrier bag charge is “the only way to ensure a real and lasting reduction in the use of carrier bags” [2].
Conclusion
Since the latest WRAP figures show that the voluntary agreement has not produced a continued decrease in plastic bag use and since legislation has clearly worked in other countries in the UK, I think it is only a matter of time until England faces a plastic bag tax. I’m sure there will soon be an increase in schemes trying to reduce plastic bag use, such as money-back schemes for those re-using shopping bags or labelling plastic bags with information that discourages their use (e.g. labelling plastic bags with the length of time they take to biodegrade). Furthermore, the decision to introduce legislation will be even easier if the bag tax in Wales is a success.
References
[1] http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2003/09/0902_030902_plasticbags.html
[2] http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/jul/28/plastic-bag-rise
[4] http://www.packagingnews.co.uk/news/plastic-bag-usage-on-the-up-wrap-figures-show/
