❓ The Minister for Environment reports on the Environment Protection and Heritage Council meeting outcomes regarding plastic bag reduction, including endorsement of the Australian Retailers Association's code of practice and a plan to phase out lightweight plastic bags within five years.
AnsweredQoN 990Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
The minister has been an advocate for decisive action to address the environmental impacts of plastic bags, calling for a ban on lightweight plastic bags, much greater recycling, and the use of reusable bags and bags that can be composted. Did the recent meeting of the Environment Protection and Heritage Council achieve a significant outcome on bags or is there still much more that should be done to tackle this issue? Dr J.M. EDWARDS
AnswerView source ↗
The whole issue of the usage of plastic bags is an environmental issue in which we all have an interest. The answer to the problem is to get all of us to change our behaviour. I was therefore delighted that at the recent meeting of the Environment Protection and Heritage Council it endorsed a very modified code of practice of the Australian Retailers Association. To its credit the ARA has responded to ministerial concerns, which were presented in a unified front by all the environment ministers of Australia. The ARA code that we endorsed has measures such as a target of a reduction by 75 per cent in plastic bag litter by the end of 2005. There is also a target of a 50 per cent reduction in plastic bags by the end of 2005. There is also a commitment to regular auditing and reporting on these targets. In accepting this revised code, ministers were still very clear that if these targets were not being met, they would fall back on other mandatory options. The second major achievement of the meeting was that ministers decided that within five years the use of lightweight plastic bags would be phased out or banned. This timeframe is needed to make sure that products that can replace those bags are up to Australian standards. It will take at least two years to work through the standard and make sure that the products are there. It also gives retailers the chance to find their own markets, to come to the end of their current contracts and to move towards this in a systematic way. I have been delighted in the response I have found on this issue. For example, Coles Myer Ltd has informed me that it completely sold out of its green bags, which absolutely surprised it. It now has a new run of green bags. In addition, I commend Bunnings Building Supplies Pty Ltd for what it is doing through its levy. I also commend all the other retailers that are slowly but surely making the switch and giving people much greater environmental alternatives.
Dr J.M. EDWARDS replied: The whole issue of the usage of plastic bags is an environmental issue in which we all have an interest. The answer to the problem is to get all of us to change our behaviour. I was therefore delighted that at the recent meeting of the Environment Protection and Heritage Council it endorsed a very modified code of practice of the Australian Retailers Association. To its credit the ARA has responded to ministerial concerns, which were presented in a unified front by all the environment ministers of Australia. The ARA code that we endorsed has measures such as a target of a reduction by 75 per cent in plastic bag litter by the end of 2005. There is also a target of a 50 per cent reduction in plastic bags by the end of 2005. There is also a commitment to regular auditing and reporting on these targets. In accepting this revised code, ministers were still very clear that if these targets were not being met, they would fall back on other mandatory options. The second major achievement of the meeting was that ministers decided that within five years the use of lightweight plastic bags would be phased out or banned. This timeframe is needed to make sure that products that can replace those bags are up to Australian standards. It will take at least two years to work through the standard and make sure that the products are there. It also gives retailers the chance to find their own markets, to come to the end of their current contracts and to move towards this in a systematic way. I have been delighted in the response I have found on this issue. For example, Coles Myer Ltd has informed me that it completely sold out of its green bags, which absolutely surprised it. It now has a new run of green bags. In addition, I commend Bunnings Building Supplies Pty Ltd for what it is doing through its levy. I also commend all the other retailers that are slowly but surely making the switch and giving people much greater environmental alternatives.
The whole issue of the usage of plastic bags is an environmental issue in which we all have an interest. The answer to the problem is to get all of us to change our behaviour. I was therefore delighted that at the recent meeting of the Environment Protection and Heritage Council it endorsed a very modified code of practice of the Australian Retailers Association. To its credit the ARA has responded to ministerial concerns, which were presented in a unified front by all the environment ministers of Australia. The ARA code that we endorsed has measures such as a target of a reduction by 75 per cent in plastic bag litter by the end of 2005. There is also a target of a 50 per cent reduction in plastic bags by the end of 2005. There is also a commitment to regular auditing and reporting on these targets. In accepting this revised code, ministers were still very clear that if these targets were not being met, they would fall back on other mandatory options. The second major achievement of the meeting was that ministers decided that within five years the use of lightweight plastic bags would be phased out or banned. This timeframe is needed to make sure that products that can replace those bags are up to Australian standards. It will take at least two years to work through the standard and make sure that the products are there. It also gives retailers the chance to find their own markets, to come to the end of their current contracts and to move towards this in a systematic way. I have been delighted in the response I have found on this issue. For example, Coles Myer Ltd has informed me that it completely sold out of its green bags, which absolutely surprised it. It now has a new run of green bags. In addition, I commend Bunnings Building Supplies Pty Ltd for what it is doing through its levy. I also commend all the other retailers that are slowly but surely making the switch and giving people much greater environmental alternatives.
The second major achievement of the meeting was that ministers decided that within five years the use of lightweight plastic bags would be phased out or banned. This timeframe is needed to make sure that products that can replace those bags are up to Australian standards. It will take at least two years to work through the standard and make sure that the products are there. It also gives retailers the chance to find their own markets, to come to the end of their current contracts and to move towards this in a systematic way. I have been delighted in the response I have found on this issue. For example, Coles Myer Ltd has informed me that it completely sold out of its green bags, which absolutely surprised it. It now has a new run of green bags. In addition, I commend Bunnings Building Supplies Pty Ltd for what it is doing through its levy. I also commend all the other retailers that are slowly but surely making the switch and giving people much greater environmental alternatives.
Dr J.M. EDWARDS replied: The whole issue of the usage of plastic bags is an environmental issue in which we all have an interest. The answer to the problem is to get all of us to change our behaviour. I was therefore delighted that at the recent meeting of the Environment Protection and Heritage Council it endorsed a very modified code of practice of the Australian Retailers Association. To its credit the ARA has responded to ministerial concerns, which were presented in a unified front by all the environment ministers of Australia. The ARA code that we endorsed has measures such as a target of a reduction by 75 per cent in plastic bag litter by the end of 2005. There is also a target of a 50 per cent reduction in plastic bags by the end of 2005. There is also a commitment to regular auditing and reporting on these targets. In accepting this revised code, ministers were still very clear that if these targets were not being met, they would fall back on other mandatory options. The second major achievement of the meeting was that ministers decided that within five years the use of lightweight plastic bags would be phased out or banned. This timeframe is needed to make sure that products that can replace those bags are up to Australian standards. It will take at least two years to work through the standard and make sure that the products are there. It also gives retailers the chance to find their own markets, to come to the end of their current contracts and to move towards this in a systematic way. I have been delighted in the response I have found on this issue. For example, Coles Myer Ltd has informed me that it completely sold out of its green bags, which absolutely surprised it. It now has a new run of green bags. In addition, I commend Bunnings Building Supplies Pty Ltd for what it is doing through its levy. I also commend all the other retailers that are slowly but surely making the switch and giving people much greater environmental alternatives.
The whole issue of the usage of plastic bags is an environmental issue in which we all have an interest. The answer to the problem is to get all of us to change our behaviour. I was therefore delighted that at the recent meeting of the Environment Protection and Heritage Council it endorsed a very modified code of practice of the Australian Retailers Association. To its credit the ARA has responded to ministerial concerns, which were presented in a unified front by all the environment ministers of Australia. The ARA code that we endorsed has measures such as a target of a reduction by 75 per cent in plastic bag litter by the end of 2005. There is also a target of a 50 per cent reduction in plastic bags by the end of 2005. There is also a commitment to regular auditing and reporting on these targets. In accepting this revised code, ministers were still very clear that if these targets were not being met, they would fall back on other mandatory options. The second major achievement of the meeting was that ministers decided that within five years the use of lightweight plastic bags would be phased out or banned. This timeframe is needed to make sure that products that can replace those bags are up to Australian standards. It will take at least two years to work through the standard and make sure that the products are there. It also gives retailers the chance to find their own markets, to come to the end of their current contracts and to move towards this in a systematic way. I have been delighted in the response I have found on this issue. For example, Coles Myer Ltd has informed me that it completely sold out of its green bags, which absolutely surprised it. It now has a new run of green bags. In addition, I commend Bunnings Building Supplies Pty Ltd for what it is doing through its levy. I also commend all the other retailers that are slowly but surely making the switch and giving people much greater environmental alternatives.
The second major achievement of the meeting was that ministers decided that within five years the use of lightweight plastic bags would be phased out or banned. This timeframe is needed to make sure that products that can replace those bags are up to Australian standards. It will take at least two years to work through the standard and make sure that the products are there. It also gives retailers the chance to find their own markets, to come to the end of their current contracts and to move towards this in a systematic way. I have been delighted in the response I have found on this issue. For example, Coles Myer Ltd has informed me that it completely sold out of its green bags, which absolutely surprised it. It now has a new run of green bags. In addition, I commend Bunnings Building Supplies Pty Ltd for what it is doing through its levy. I also commend all the other retailers that are slowly but surely making the switch and giving people much greater environmental alternatives.
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