Local environmental quality: Carrier bags
| Advertisements - April 2009 | |
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The Government, the BRC and the Waste & Resources Action Programme (WRAP) are running a publicity campaign to encourage people to ‘get a bag habit’ and re-use their carrier bags whenever they can. This reflects the importance of communication with customers, and is part of the agreement in support of retailers' commitments to cut the number of bags they give out. (Defra news release, 7 April) For more information go to www.direct.gov.uk/getabaghabit |
What's the issue?
Carrier bags may only be a small proportion of the waste we produce – but they are a powerful symbol of our throwaway society. With around 10 billion bags being given away in this country each year - that’s about 10 bags a week for every household - not only are they an eyesore when disposed of irresponsibly, but also a cause of harm to wildlife including marine mammals, fish and birds.
Last year alone people got through 9.9 billion new carrier bags – enough to stretch to the moon and back seven times, fill 188 Olympic-sized swimming pools, or fill the Royal Albert Hall four and a half times.
Much of this could actually be avoided - shoppers collect on average 3-4 bags each time they go shopping. However, most people have plenty of bags at home which they could easily re-use when they go shopping. It’s not only reusing the bags we have, but also reducing the number of new bags we take and using bags that have a longer life.
What the Government is doing
December 2008 Voluntary agreement with retailers
The Government has always had a preference for a voluntary approach to tackle the problem of needless distribution of carrier bags, particularly in these times of uncertainty.
We are now working closely with retailers on an ambitious new target to reduce the number of bags given out. Our voluntary agreement with Britain’s leading supermarkets, represented by the British Retail Consortium (BRC) is targeting a 50% cut in numbers of carrier bags given out against 2006 levels by May 2009, working towards a reduction of 70% over the longer term.
Tips for remembering to re-use carrier bags include:
- keeping bags the car boot of the car;
- keeping them in handbags;
- having a bag caddy by the door; and,
- hanging them on the back door.
It doesn’t matter what type of bag is being re-used, a bag for Life, a canvas bag, or an ordinary plastic bag. If people take them with them when going shopping, they will be helping the environment by reducing waste that ends up in landfill, and using less virgin raw material. You’ll also be reducing the carbon that’s used up when bags are being manufactured.
The agreement covers seven of the largest supermarket chains in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and is targeting all carrier bags provided by the supermarkets involved, biodegradable or not. Similar steps have also been taken to reduce the numbers of bags given out in Scotland. The participating retailers are Asda, Co-operative Group, Waitrose, Marks and Spencer, Sainsburys, Somerfield and Tesco.
The Government’s hope is that the agreement will act as a spur to people to remember to take their bags with them when going shopping. Bags will still be available - but there will be far fewer of them given away at the check - out, with more and more people reusing their own bags. Indeed, many supermarkets have already taken imaginative steps to help consumers use fewer carrier bags.
It is estimated that the agreement will result in a reduction of around 5 billion bags per year in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and will save 130,000 tonnes of CO2 eq – equivalent to taking 41,000 cars off the road each year. Progress under the Agreement will be monitored by the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) and it will be reviewed in 2010.
February 2007 voluntary agreement with retailers
Figures released by WRAP show that 21 of the UK’s leading high street and grocery retailers, with the help of consumers, have significantly exceeded their target to reduce the environmental impact of carrier bags by 25% by the end of 2008, achieving a remarkable 40 % reduction, as measured by the reduction in the amount of virgin plastic used.
Retailers achieved this by:
- reducing the number of carrier bags issued by 26%;
- increasing recycled content used; and
- reducing carrier bag weight.
Whilst this figure is an average for the whole of 2008, actual bag use in December 2008 is considerably lower than at the beginning of 2008. There is still work to be done to reach the 50% target agreed under the December 2008 agreement by May 2009, but through the efforts of consumers and retailers, it is achievable.
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Page last modified: 7 April 2009
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published: 15 March 2006