New bag charge is welcomed
The Government’s decision to propose doubling the price of plastic shopping bags is timely.
Those families of young children trying in vain to get their wheelie bin lid closed know only too well how much plastic packaging we encounter at Christmas.
If it’s not non-recyclable wrapping paper, it’s unwieldy plastic packaging and polystyrene overflowing from the bin.
All will be heading to already crammed landfill sites.
In the worst case scenario this plastic will be heading for the gullet of a sea turtle near you.
We are nowhere near coming to terms with the threat of plastic pollution in our society, but we can at least claim a significant victory in the area of plastic bags.
The decision to make supermarkets charge 5p for a plastic bag has worked wonders. Since the 5p charge was introduced three years ago, and estimated 15 billion bags have been taken out of circulation. Now the plan is to double the charge and extend it to all shops.
Of course, the ideal solution to the issue would be abolishing plastic bags altogether and insisting on sustainable alternatives.
That said, the money raised from charging consumers for their bags filters its way back to charity.
According to Defra, an estimated £51million raised from the sale of plastic bags went to good causes in 201718. It would be more preferable to have the public realise the folly of using plastic bags and buying plastic wrapped goods, but you can’t have everything.
The new charge will be good news for sea mammals; bad news for those who like to see plastic bags festooning trees and hedgerows across our land!