Garrett considers banning plastic bags (3 Viewers)

[chicky_pie]

PLASTIC bags may be banned from Australia by the end of the year, under plans being considered by Environment Minister Peter Garrett.

The federal government is looking to either impose a levy on each bag, or ban the bags outright, according to Fairfax.

A spokesman for Mr Garrett said he would move to phase out the bags by the end of the year, after consulting with state governments in March.

Australia uses about four billion plastic bags a year, with most ending up in landfill.

The proposal has been lauded by environmentalists, but major supermarkets are against a ban.

"It's just a simplification to contemplate banning plastic bags just because people see them floating in the water," Australian Retailers Association executive director Richard Evans said.

A system of voluntary compliance would work better, according to Mr Evans.

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,23031272-1702,00.html

there goes making home made kites

 

[Slidey]

Well... 4 billion plastic bags IS too many.

 

[withoutaface]

I'd emphasise the part which says that most end up in landfill. This is important, because people use them as garbage bags, and if they didn't exist people would just buy plastic(!) garbage bags to replace them.

 

[ari89]

I'd emphasise the part which says that most end up in landfill. This is important, because people use them as garbage bags, and if they didn't exist people would just buy plastic(!) garbage bags to replace them.

exactly what I was thinking

 

[Nebuchanezzar]

I'm willing to bet my left arm that the majority of plastic bags that are in a landfill aren't being used to hold rubbish.

 

[dieburndie]

I'm willing to bet my left arm that the majority of plastic bags that are in a landfill aren't being used to hold rubbish.

Why are they there then? Why would people dump plastic bags on a large scale for any other reason?
The majority of people use plastic bags for their household rubbish. The majority of people dispose of relatively large amount of rubbish. Why would there be more plastic bags serving another purpose?

Edit: I obviously think the idea is stupid without an affordable, practical alternative way to dispose of household waste. Well, really I think it's stupid anyway.

 

[youBROKEmyLIFE]

What sort of a cheap family uses their used grocery bags on a regular basis to fill their rubbish bins? At my place we usually keep some, use some to pick up little bits of rubbish we've collected while putting the other food away, the rest just get thrown in the bin and un-used for anything more than the transportation from the store to our home.

 

[Cerry]

What sort of a cheap family uses their used grocery bags on a regular basis to fill their rubbish bins? At my place we usually keep some, use some to pick up little bits of rubbish we've collected while putting the other food away, the rest just get thrown in the bin and un-used for anything more than the transportation from the store to our home.

We do it all the time. They're just the right size for a standard kitchen bin, and it means that you can just grab the bag, tie it off at the top, and chuck it in the wheelie bin on garbage night. Plus, it means that the bags get used more than once before they get thrown away.
I also always take a few with me on school excursions and stuff for bringing home wet towels etc.

 

[kate_is_me]

What sort of a cheap family uses their used grocery bags on a regular basis to fill their rubbish bins? At my place we usually keep some, use some to pick up little bits of rubbish we've collected while putting the other food away, the rest just get thrown in the bin and un-used for anything more than the transportation from the store to our home.

Using the plastic bags from the supermarket for the rubbish bin is pretty common practice among most families I think.

 

[youBROKEmyLIFE]

Never knew, tbh they seem rather poor for the job.

 

[wrxsti]

i heart plastic bags

 

[Nebuchanezzar]

Why are they there then? Why would people dump plastic bags on a large scale for any other reason?

Um. Because they're what people call "waste"?

 

[youBROKEmyLIFE]

You guys must get higher quality shopping bags than we do... if we tried to use ours, any slightly liquid substance would pour out the bottom of it and if it got filled even slightly it would burst open.

 

[jb_nc]

This is retarded because now I'll have to buy plastic bags instead.

Good work you fucking idiot, Garrett.

 

[jb_nc]

While I think Liberals are all shithouse, I kinda hope the economy goes into recession (depression is also acceptable) and owns Rudd.

I live for schadenfreude. And I'm pretty certain everyone else does.

 

[decypher]

I live for schadenfreude. And I'm pretty certain everyone else does.

Oh how i love that word.

 

[Slidey]

Using the plastic bags from the supermarket for the rubbish bin is pretty common practice among most families I think.

It still only accounts for like 10% of garbage bags received.

 

[Slidey]

This is retarded because now I'll have to buy plastic bags instead.

Good work you fucking idiot, Garrett.

That's the idea. It'll help regulate their use. People will probably still use them, but they'll think twice first, which I imagine could end up halving the number of bags used per year. 2 billion less bags is a very good thing.

They needn't cost much. Like with our compulsory voting, the fine is only 30$, but it increases turnout from 45% in other countries to 95% here. The price isn't important; what's important is that it's there.

Anyway, those green meshy bags you can buy at Coles and the like are better. They don't break all over the fucking place and spill your shit.

 

[Captain Gh3y]

While I think Liberals are all shithouse, I kinda hope the economy goes into recession (depression is also acceptable) and owns Rudd.

I live for schadenfreude. And I'm pretty certain everyone else does.

Truth.

I'd like this to be implemented just to see extremely poor bogan customers at work go insane at me when I can't put their stuff in a free plastic bag anymore

 

[townie]

i think a ban is stupid, but a small levy is a sensible idea, people can be so wastefull with their plastic bags sometimes, seriously, sometimes people ask for them for a few packets of smokes or whatever.

so i agree with a levy, orrr, alternatively, investment in finding development of non-crappy 100% biodegradable plastic bags