Environment
CBC blasts Daily Mail on plastic bags ahead of Budget
The Carrier Bag Consortium (CBC) has blasted The Daily Mail for "sensationalism" in a front-page article on legislation to ban disposable plastic bags that was "riddled with inaccuracies".
The Daily Mail said that tomorrow's (12 March) Budget would include a timetable to cut carrier bag usage, which it described as a "powerful message" to supermarkets resisting pressure to charge for bags.
It reported that the Climate Change Bill would be adapted to introduce obligatory charging for carrier bags if reduction targets were not met.
But CBC spokesman Peter Woodall said that retailers were already "serious in their efforts" to achieve reduction targets, which were "broadly on track" according to the Waste and Resources Action Programme.
"The paper has missed that we've had a voluntary scheme [to reduce bag use] in place for over a year," he said.
Woodall added that the government needed to better "inform and educate" about how to get the most out of materials rather than taking the easy route of taxation.
"The government should launch a major campaign to tell consumers about their environmental impact.
"A single car journey to the supermarket averages 12 miles, which is the equivalent of a year's supply of bags, yet we see less [complaining] about four-wheel drive cars [than plastic bags]," he said.
Retailers already serious about reductions targets
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Comments
Jorge Gonzalez - 11 March 2008
The ban is not going to finish with the enviromental problem related to the use or reuse of bags, the problem are not the bags them selfs the problem is the education of people and the poor conciusness on environmental friendly attitudes.
As a packaging expert, but mainly as consumer, I think the problem radicates in what we do with the bags once used, I have a large collection of them!! at home altough I used them to collect the rubbish at home.
More reusable bags needs to be used and more reuses need to be pointed out so that people can act in consequense.
I will give money for bags instead of banning them or charge consumers for them.
Loyalty points and programs can be used to charge people or points to be credited into the account for giving bags back to the store so that they can be recycled.
Edutcation is key, big challenge for the trade!!! Educate your consumers!!!
jorge gonzalez
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