Environmentalists want plastic bags banned nationwide

With the South Australia Government banning single use plastic bags as of last Monday, there are calls for the government to ban the use nationwide.

 

SA retailers are facing fines of up to $5000 for giving or selling plastic bags, but environmentalists say the government is failing the Australian people and environment by not banning plastic bags throughout the nation.

 

Figures show Australians use four billion plastic shopping bags a year, of which 33 per cent is recycled.

 

Under the new laws, retailers will be fined $315 for giving or selling a banned plastic bag, with a $5000 maximum penalty, while bag suppliers that provide banned bags to retailers face fines up to $20,000.

 

Coles and Woolworths supermarkets have started offering customers a range of alternative checkout bags, but unlike plastic bags they come at a cost.

 

The ban in SA is supposed to cut out the use of 400 million bags a year.