You’ve done so well, now let’s finish the job

HORRIFIED by a scourge that fouled our environment, oceans and wildlife, 12 years ago the Mail launched a momentous campaign: To banish the plastic bag from Britain.

Used once briefly and then discarded, these carriers – which can take up to 1,000 years to degrade – are one of the great needless pollutants of the modern world.

Backed by you, our army of amazing readers, we battled to change shoppers’ habits and slash the number of unrecyclable bags handed out.

And it has been a stupendous success. In 2015, our dogged crusading persuaded ministers to introduce a 5p charge on single-use bags in large stores.

Since then, there has been a 96 per cent reduction in sales of this harmful detritus. Billions fewer litter the countryside.

The average Briton now uses just four plastic supermarket bags a year, down from 140 – an extraordinary behavioural shift.

And this environmental revolution powers on. From April, ministers will double the levy to 10p and extend it to all small shops and takeaways – removing at least 3.6 billion carriers from circulation.

With luck, this will encourage even more people to make the small extra effort to take their own ‘bags for life’ on the weekly shop. As Environment Secretary George Eustice acknowledges today, you led the way in reducing this plastic plague.

And thanks to you, our streets, fields, parks, seas and beaches are cleaner for our children and grandchildren to enjoy. Now, as the minister says, let’s finish the job.