Media Release 4/2/2010

Banning of Non-Biodegradable Plastic Shopping Bags Welcomed

Tasmania’s peak environment body has welcomed the Liberals policy announcement today of a ban on non-biodegradable plastic shopping bags in Tasmania within 2 years – pointing out that the policy commitment is a good step forward to help reduce waste in Tasmania.

“The commitment to ban non-biodegradable plastic shopping bags in Tasmania within 2 years is a good environmental policy initiative and will assist in reducing waste in our landfill sites,” said Simon Branigan, policy coordinator for Environment Tasmania.

“Coles Bay was Australia’s first plastic shopping bag free town – and the community should be congratulated for taking the lead. Hopefully this policy announcement will encourage other Tasmanian towns to follow suit.”

“We welcome this policy commitment and see it as an important step forward in waste policy in Tasmania – with the hope that the next big step will be the introduction of a container deposit system such as the successful scheme in South Australia.”

“We hope that this will be one of a number of environmental policy commitments from all three political parties between now and the state election,” he concluded.

Environment Tasmania is the peak body for Tasmanian environment & conservation groups – and represents over 20 Tasmanian environment groups with collective representation of over 5000 Tasmanians.