RETAILER Woolworths has revealed it will shortly begin phasing out the bags in supermarkets, Big W and BWS stores, with a total ban in place by 30 June next year.

The move was welcomed by environmental groups, that have long campaigned for a national plastic bag ban.

Coles followed Woolworths’ announcement within a two hour period pledging to phase out single use bags.

Woolworths shoppers alone use 3.2 billion single use plastic bags annually.

While there has been no word so far from the NSW government, opposition leader Luke Foley has offered to work with the government to implement a statewide ban on single use bags.

Clean Up Australia reports that 8 percent of the plastics that their volunteers remove from our streets, parks, beaches, bushland and waterways are plastic bags.

These bags kill animals; they ingest them and die from malnutrition, smother or choke.

Nigel Dique of Port Stephens Econetwork told News Of The Area that stopping the use of single use bags at the checkouts of Woolworths and Coles is definitely a step in the right direction.

“It is important that this does not result in unintended consequences, reusable plastic bags are not the end of the story as these break down and leave micro particles which end up in the environment,” he said.

“Stores like Bunnings that use bio degradable recycled boxes are using the best solution, however we need to change the behaviours and habits that people have adopted over the last 30 years to change the impact of plastic bags on the environment,” he said.

 

By Marian SAMPSON