Levy a tax on nuisance carrier bags

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Sun 4th Apr 2004

They scar town and country alike, clinging to trees, becoming entangled in hedgerows or being blown across parks, fields and shopping malls. Now Liberal Democrat Councillor Chris Shepherd has proposed incentives for shoppers not to use plastic carrier bags.

Say 'No thanks' to plastic bags

Cllr Chris Shepherd (Lib Dem, Freshbrook & Grange Park) said: "Due to the environmental damage which plastic shopping bags generate in their production and lifetime, I would like to see Swindon Council lend it's support to the introduction of a tax on them similar to those which have been introduced in Ireland. The revenues generated from this levy should be used to finance work to protect and enhance the environment."

Plastic carrier bags are oil based which may take hundreds of years to disintegrate after being buried in a landfill site. Supermarkets welcomed the idea, with Asda saying it was "in everyone's interest", and Tesco saying it was important that environmental targets were reached to reduce litter. About 10 billion plastic bags are given away at supermarket checkouts each year in Britain, costing the stores an estimated £1bn.

Chris continued: "In Ireland a levy on plastic carrier bags is 9p each. It has not only changed consumer behaviour in relation to disposable plastic bags, but has also raised national consciousness about the role citizens should play to tackle the problems of litter and waste."

The motion to Full Council was supported unanimously by councillors from all three Swindon parties:

• 'This council notes the harm and environmental damage caused in Swindon by the unnecessary use and disposal of plastic carrier bags. The Council writes to the Chancellor of the Exchequer and Swindon's two MPs, calling on the Government to introduce financial incentives to help reduce the reliance on these bags and use the levy raised to support environmental and recycling projects.'

This initiative was pioneered by Lib Dems at Aberdeen City Council.

Cllr Shepherd concluded: "You see discarded shopping bags being blown around by the wind. They are an eyesore and a blight on the landscape. If people were made to pay for the bags, I am sure they would think twice about getting them.

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this story appeared in the local newspaper.