Government Finally Fight Back Against Single-Use Plastic Bags
At Cotton Bag Co, we’re proud to be part of the solution when it comes to eliminating plastic bags. That’s why we’re thrilled to let you know that the government have just announced a Single Use Carrier Bags Charges Order. Created on March 19th – and to go into action officially by October 5th this year – the new order will see a 5p charge levelled at all single-use plastic carrier bags distributed in England from businesses with 250 or more full time employees.
Similar charges already exist in Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland, so we think it’s about time that England made the change to. These new regulations will mean that all large companies will need to charge for every bag before submitting annual compliance reports to the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
Noting that UK supermarkets alone distributed over 8 billion single-use carrier bags in 2013 – equivalent to 130 bags per person and 57,000 tonnes per year – the government drew attention to the incredibly detrimental effect they were having on the environment. Littering public spaces, causing injury to marine life, and consuming enormous amounts of resources were just a few of the reasons given for trying to get rid of plastic bags.
The proper marketing of Bags for Life in 2006 saw carrier bag use drop by a strong 32% between that year and 2012. However, usage has since crept back up, increasing 18% between 2010 and 2013. The charge imposed on single-use carrier bags in Wales resulted in a 79% reduction in their use, so hopes are high that this new regulation could produce a similar outcome across England.
Smaller businesses will not need to follow the same rules, but will certainly be encouraged to do so. The government have made allowances for a genuinely biodegradable plastic bag, but have rightly recognised that no “such plastic bag currently exists”. Paper bags are not viewed as part of the problem, so no charge has been levelled against their use.
It’s always encouraging to see the government do the right thing and act against plastic bags. Just another reason to switch to using cotton bags instead.
