❓ WA Parliament discusses banning non-recyclable plastic bags. The government is engaging with industry and considering mandatory measures like levies due to insufficient response from the Australian Retailers Association.
AnsweredQoN 785Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
A considerable amount of interest has been generated in industry and the broader community by the minister’s support for a ban on non-recyclable plastic bags. What has been the response, and how is the idea of a ban being progressed? Dr J.M. EDWARDS
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for his question. I was pleased that the Liberal Party national conference considered this issue on the weekend. People are interested in this issue Australia-wide. Seven billion plastic bags are used in Australia each year, six billion of which end up in landfill. Around 30 million to 50 million bags end up as litter, so it is a big problem that needs to be addressed. Environment ministers from around the nation have discussed this issue since the middle of last year. In December we wrote to the Australian Retailers Association and asked it to come up with a code of practice to increase the recycling of plastic bags by 50 per cent and to cut the use of plastic bags by 50 per cent. Sadly, to date the association has not responded appropriately to that request. Environment ministers will meet again either in late July or early August to consider mandatory measures to deal with this large litter and waste problem. One issue being considered at this stage is the placing of a levy on plastic bags. Mr B.K. Masters: It is a relatively unimportant issue. Dr J.M. EDWARDS: It is funny that the member for Vasse thinks that something that received attention at the Liberal Party national conference is not an issue. He should come on over. A levy was placed on plastic bags in Ireland and there was a dramatic decrease in the number of plastic carry bags used. Unfortunately, it now appears that there was something like a 77 per cent increase in the sale of plastic kitchen tidy bags during that time. Obviously some sort of substitution was going on. There are opportunities, particularly in this State, to develop new industries to produce an environmentally friendly, recyclable and perhaps compostable bag to replace plastic shopping bags. I received good support from members of the community after I raised this initiative. I have also received some very interesting calls from industry about ways to increase recycling. Perhaps in the scheme of things this is a small issue; however, this issue is fundamental to an improvement in our environment. It is a challenging issue because it throws open a challenge to people to alter their behaviour to get a better environmental outcome. The SPEAKER: I call the member for Vasse to order for the second time.
Dr J.M. EDWARDS replied: I thank the member for his question. I was pleased that the Liberal Party national conference considered this issue on the weekend. People are interested in this issue Australia-wide. Seven billion plastic bags are used in Australia each year, six billion of which end up in landfill. Around 30 million to 50 million bags end up as litter, so it is a big problem that needs to be addressed. Environment ministers from around the nation have discussed this issue since the middle of last year. In December we wrote to the Australian Retailers Association and asked it to come up with a code of practice to increase the recycling of plastic bags by 50 per cent and to cut the use of plastic bags by 50 per cent. Sadly, to date the association has not responded appropriately to that request. Environment ministers will meet again either in late July or early August to consider mandatory measures to deal with this large litter and waste problem. One issue being considered at this stage is the placing of a levy on plastic bags. Mr B.K. Masters: It is a relatively unimportant issue. Dr J.M. EDWARDS: It is funny that the member for Vasse thinks that something that received attention at the Liberal Party national conference is not an issue. He should come on over. A levy was placed on plastic bags in Ireland and there was a dramatic decrease in the number of plastic carry bags used. Unfortunately, it now appears that there was something like a 77 per cent increase in the sale of plastic kitchen tidy bags during that time. Obviously some sort of substitution was going on. There are opportunities, particularly in this State, to develop new industries to produce an environmentally friendly, recyclable and perhaps compostable bag to replace plastic shopping bags. I received good support from members of the community after I raised this initiative. I have also received some very interesting calls from industry about ways to increase recycling. Perhaps in the scheme of things this is a small issue; however, this issue is fundamental to an improvement in our environment. It is a challenging issue because it throws open a challenge to people to alter their behaviour to get a better environmental outcome. The SPEAKER: I call the member for Vasse to order for the second time.
I thank the member for his question. I was pleased that the Liberal Party national conference considered this issue on the weekend. People are interested in this issue Australia-wide. Seven billion plastic bags are used in Australia each year, six billion of which end up in landfill. Around 30 million to 50 million bags end up as litter, so it is a big problem that needs to be addressed. Environment ministers from around the nation have discussed this issue since the middle of last year. In December we wrote to the Australian Retailers Association and asked it to come up with a code of practice to increase the recycling of plastic bags by 50 per cent and to cut the use of plastic bags by 50 per cent. Sadly, to date the association has not responded appropriately to that request. Environment ministers will meet again either in late July or early August to consider mandatory measures to deal with this large litter and waste problem. One issue being considered at this stage is the placing of a levy on plastic bags. Mr B.K. Masters: It is a relatively unimportant issue. Dr J.M. EDWARDS: It is funny that the member for Vasse thinks that something that received attention at the Liberal Party national conference is not an issue. He should come on over. A levy was placed on plastic bags in Ireland and there was a dramatic decrease in the number of plastic carry bags used. Unfortunately, it now appears that there was something like a 77 per cent increase in the sale of plastic kitchen tidy bags during that time. Obviously some sort of substitution was going on. There are opportunities, particularly in this State, to develop new industries to produce an environmentally friendly, recyclable and perhaps compostable bag to replace plastic shopping bags. I received good support from members of the community after I raised this initiative. I have also received some very interesting calls from industry about ways to increase recycling. Perhaps in the scheme of things this is a small issue; however, this issue is fundamental to an improvement in our environment. It is a challenging issue because it throws open a challenge to people to alter their behaviour to get a better environmental outcome. The SPEAKER: I call the member for Vasse to order for the second time.
Mr B.K. Masters: It is a relatively unimportant issue. Dr J.M. EDWARDS: It is funny that the member for Vasse thinks that something that received attention at the Liberal Party national conference is not an issue. He should come on over. A levy was placed on plastic bags in Ireland and there was a dramatic decrease in the number of plastic carry bags used. Unfortunately, it now appears that there was something like a 77 per cent increase in the sale of plastic kitchen tidy bags during that time. Obviously some sort of substitution was going on. There are opportunities, particularly in this State, to develop new industries to produce an environmentally friendly, recyclable and perhaps compostable bag to replace plastic shopping bags. I received good support from members of the community after I raised this initiative. I have also received some very interesting calls from industry about ways to increase recycling. Perhaps in the scheme of things this is a small issue; however, this issue is fundamental to an improvement in our environment. It is a challenging issue because it throws open a challenge to people to alter their behaviour to get a better environmental outcome. The SPEAKER: I call the member for Vasse to order for the second time.
Dr J.M. EDWARDS: It is funny that the member for Vasse thinks that something that received attention at the Liberal Party national conference is not an issue. He should come on over. A levy was placed on plastic bags in Ireland and there was a dramatic decrease in the number of plastic carry bags used. Unfortunately, it now appears that there was something like a 77 per cent increase in the sale of plastic kitchen tidy bags during that time. Obviously some sort of substitution was going on. There are opportunities, particularly in this State, to develop new industries to produce an environmentally friendly, recyclable and perhaps compostable bag to replace plastic shopping bags. I received good support from members of the community after I raised this initiative. I have also received some very interesting calls from industry about ways to increase recycling. Perhaps in the scheme of things this is a small issue; however, this issue is fundamental to an improvement in our environment. It is a challenging issue because it throws open a challenge to people to alter their behaviour to get a better environmental outcome. The SPEAKER: I call the member for Vasse to order for the second time.
The SPEAKER: I call the member for Vasse to order for the second time.
Dr J.M. EDWARDS replied: I thank the member for his question. I was pleased that the Liberal Party national conference considered this issue on the weekend. People are interested in this issue Australia-wide. Seven billion plastic bags are used in Australia each year, six billion of which end up in landfill. Around 30 million to 50 million bags end up as litter, so it is a big problem that needs to be addressed. Environment ministers from around the nation have discussed this issue since the middle of last year. In December we wrote to the Australian Retailers Association and asked it to come up with a code of practice to increase the recycling of plastic bags by 50 per cent and to cut the use of plastic bags by 50 per cent. Sadly, to date the association has not responded appropriately to that request. Environment ministers will meet again either in late July or early August to consider mandatory measures to deal with this large litter and waste problem. One issue being considered at this stage is the placing of a levy on plastic bags. Mr B.K. Masters: It is a relatively unimportant issue. Dr J.M. EDWARDS: It is funny that the member for Vasse thinks that something that received attention at the Liberal Party national conference is not an issue. He should come on over. A levy was placed on plastic bags in Ireland and there was a dramatic decrease in the number of plastic carry bags used. Unfortunately, it now appears that there was something like a 77 per cent increase in the sale of plastic kitchen tidy bags during that time. Obviously some sort of substitution was going on. There are opportunities, particularly in this State, to develop new industries to produce an environmentally friendly, recyclable and perhaps compostable bag to replace plastic shopping bags. I received good support from members of the community after I raised this initiative. I have also received some very interesting calls from industry about ways to increase recycling. Perhaps in the scheme of things this is a small issue; however, this issue is fundamental to an improvement in our environment. It is a challenging issue because it throws open a challenge to people to alter their behaviour to get a better environmental outcome. The SPEAKER: I call the member for Vasse to order for the second time.
I thank the member for his question. I was pleased that the Liberal Party national conference considered this issue on the weekend. People are interested in this issue Australia-wide. Seven billion plastic bags are used in Australia each year, six billion of which end up in landfill. Around 30 million to 50 million bags end up as litter, so it is a big problem that needs to be addressed. Environment ministers from around the nation have discussed this issue since the middle of last year. In December we wrote to the Australian Retailers Association and asked it to come up with a code of practice to increase the recycling of plastic bags by 50 per cent and to cut the use of plastic bags by 50 per cent. Sadly, to date the association has not responded appropriately to that request. Environment ministers will meet again either in late July or early August to consider mandatory measures to deal with this large litter and waste problem. One issue being considered at this stage is the placing of a levy on plastic bags. Mr B.K. Masters: It is a relatively unimportant issue. Dr J.M. EDWARDS: It is funny that the member for Vasse thinks that something that received attention at the Liberal Party national conference is not an issue. He should come on over. A levy was placed on plastic bags in Ireland and there was a dramatic decrease in the number of plastic carry bags used. Unfortunately, it now appears that there was something like a 77 per cent increase in the sale of plastic kitchen tidy bags during that time. Obviously some sort of substitution was going on. There are opportunities, particularly in this State, to develop new industries to produce an environmentally friendly, recyclable and perhaps compostable bag to replace plastic shopping bags. I received good support from members of the community after I raised this initiative. I have also received some very interesting calls from industry about ways to increase recycling. Perhaps in the scheme of things this is a small issue; however, this issue is fundamental to an improvement in our environment. It is a challenging issue because it throws open a challenge to people to alter their behaviour to get a better environmental outcome. The SPEAKER: I call the member for Vasse to order for the second time.
Mr B.K. Masters: It is a relatively unimportant issue. Dr J.M. EDWARDS: It is funny that the member for Vasse thinks that something that received attention at the Liberal Party national conference is not an issue. He should come on over. A levy was placed on plastic bags in Ireland and there was a dramatic decrease in the number of plastic carry bags used. Unfortunately, it now appears that there was something like a 77 per cent increase in the sale of plastic kitchen tidy bags during that time. Obviously some sort of substitution was going on. There are opportunities, particularly in this State, to develop new industries to produce an environmentally friendly, recyclable and perhaps compostable bag to replace plastic shopping bags. I received good support from members of the community after I raised this initiative. I have also received some very interesting calls from industry about ways to increase recycling. Perhaps in the scheme of things this is a small issue; however, this issue is fundamental to an improvement in our environment. It is a challenging issue because it throws open a challenge to people to alter their behaviour to get a better environmental outcome. The SPEAKER: I call the member for Vasse to order for the second time.
Dr J.M. EDWARDS: It is funny that the member for Vasse thinks that something that received attention at the Liberal Party national conference is not an issue. He should come on over. A levy was placed on plastic bags in Ireland and there was a dramatic decrease in the number of plastic carry bags used. Unfortunately, it now appears that there was something like a 77 per cent increase in the sale of plastic kitchen tidy bags during that time. Obviously some sort of substitution was going on. There are opportunities, particularly in this State, to develop new industries to produce an environmentally friendly, recyclable and perhaps compostable bag to replace plastic shopping bags. I received good support from members of the community after I raised this initiative. I have also received some very interesting calls from industry about ways to increase recycling. Perhaps in the scheme of things this is a small issue; however, this issue is fundamental to an improvement in our environment. It is a challenging issue because it throws open a challenge to people to alter their behaviour to get a better environmental outcome. The SPEAKER: I call the member for Vasse to order for the second time.
The SPEAKER: I call the member for Vasse to order for the second time.
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