Liz Gyekye / packagingnews
Want a carrier bag? Welsh 5p charge comes from
1 October
Shoppers in Wales will be charged at least 5p for single use bags at all shops, including takeaways and pharmacies, from 1 October.
The Welsh government want to cut down on the “excessive” number of bags.
Environment Minister John Griffiths said: “The introduction of this charge delivers an important message about the need of us all to live more sustainable lives.
“Carrier bags present a real litter problem and it’s estimated that local authorities spend more than £1m a year clearing them up.”
Confusion
However, confusion surrounds the forthcoming levy.
The Federation of Small Businesses in Wales has raised concerns that retailers are still unaware of the impending charges, despite the Welsh government sending out information packs, according to media reports.
The British Retail Consortium, said its members were ready but that the Welsh government still needed to “iron out potentially confusing anomalies” over the levy.
BRC head of environment Bob Gordon said: “It needs to explain and address anomalies which mean that, for example, you can have a free bag with a carton of chips but not if it comes with a burger box.
“Or a DIY shop can give you a bag for 500 screws but not for five or six.”
‘Greenwash’
PAFA spokesman Peter Woodall said: “As in Scotland, Westminster and the London and Welsh Assemblies, we have been extremely active in attempting to bring science into these political moves but the greenwash continues.
“The UK Environment Agency Report on the Life Cycle Analysis has made it clear that plastic if re-used then recycled is the best environmental choice but delays of two years in publishing this have meant that Wales and Northern Ireland began moves against plastic/carrier bags without the benefit of expert analysis.
“We have appealed repeatedly for such plans to be dropped in the light of the independent science.”
However, environmental groups, such as Waste Awareness Wales, have welcomed the charge, saying Wales is leading the way over the issue.
‘Leading the way’
Ministers in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland are also considering measures to reduce the use of carrier bags.
Yesterday (29 September), Prime Minister David Cameron delivered an ultimatum to retailers over plastic bags. He said that unless supermarkets radically cut the amount of free bags given out he will force them to do so by law.
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