PLASTIC BAG CHARGE HEADING FOR SCOTLAND
October 20th 2014 will be the day Scotland eventually joins the ‘worldwide campaign’ against plastic bags.
September 25th, 2014
The 5p minimum charge which launches in Scotland under new legislation next month will see us join a world army in the fight to massively reduce our usage on plastic bags. Its worth noting the term ‘minimum charge’, as depending on the bag and the retailers environmental stance on plastic bags both instore & online, they can charge more if they wish to do so.
Scotland will become the third UK nation to implement the charge with England following in October next year. Scotlands use of plastic bags currently runs at approx 750 million per year with England going through up to 8 billion. Usage in Ireland reduced 75% following the charge being introduced in 2002 and Wales seen an 80% reduction since their charge was applied in 2011. Over 132 cities and 20 states in the U.S have charges, taxes and bans in place. Many countries across Europe including Germany, France, Belgium & Denmark have long established bans in place.
India & China, home to 37% of the worlds population were early adoptors. In 2002 following catastrophic flooding across Bangladesh due to plastic bags in their water drainage system, India imposed a strict ban. China put total bans in effect regards plastic bags on June 1st 2008.
For some who may see this upcoming plastic bag charge as too much, or find it excessive that no matter where you shop in Scotland from October 20th, including online, you will have to pay the carrier bag charge , let us remind you of the legacy the plastic bag has left us since its early 1970′s arrival;
Plastic Islands are forming in our oceans. Millions of animals and birds and tens of thousands of sharks, whales, turtles & dolphins die each year as a result of discarded plastic bags. Whales, autopsied after dying at sea and washing ashore were found to have ‘mini plastic landfills’ inside their stomachs. There have been huge floods as a result of plastic bags and yet still we clog the planets arteries with her very own ‘plastic plague’.
It’s not a question of of the 5p being ‘too much?’, it perhaps should be, is it ‘too late?’.
The Grocery Box Co Ltd bigfatbags.co.uk