Shoppers’ use of plastic is declining. (Picture by Adrian Miller, 0540422)
CUSTOMERS of major food retailers cut their use of plastic bags by over a million last year.
The survey was conducted by the Public Services Department on behalf of the Guernsey Community Bag Partnership, with six retailers providing data. The results showed a decrease in use from 11.52m. in 2006 to 10.48m. in 2007.
However, the figures are still not satisfying Public Services member Deputy Al Brouard and he echoed recent calls by Environment minister David De Lisle for a total ban.
Shoppers’ use of plastic is declining. (Picture by Adrian Miller, 0540422)
CUSTOMERS of major food retailers cut their use of plastic bags by over a million last year.
The survey was conducted by the Public Services Department on behalf of the Guernsey Community Bag Partnership, with six retailers providing data. The results showed a decrease in use from 11.52m. in 2006 to 10.48m. in 2007.
However, the figures are still not satisfying Public Services member Deputy Al Brouard and he echoed recent calls by Environment minister David De Lisle for a total ban.
‘We need to drive this forward rather than wait for the Chamber of Commerce or the retail outlets. I think we should give clarity to it and we need to pick a date, something like 12 months ahead, for a ban. It would give people time to prepare for it and give the retailers something to work with.’
However, Deputy Brouard’s ideas did not find favour with Public Services minister Bill Bell at the latest Waste Disposal Authority meeting.
Deputy Bell said imposing a ban would not be in the best interests of the public or encouraging recycling.
‘If you want to turn the general public against recycling, then this would be the way to go about it.
‘I would be very unhappy to put bans in place. I’m a great believer in education and encouragement. It takes time to slow the momentum.’
He expected to see even more promising figures next time around because at the time of the data being collected, the drive to reduce the use of plastic bags had not been put across as strongly as was the case now.
The survey will be repeated at three-monthly intervals this year to demonstrate trends and see if retailers’ initiatives are further reducing shoppers’ use of such bags.
Deputy Tom Le Pelley has suggested choosing a date from when retailers could be banned from ordering any further plastic bags, but fellow board members deputies Scott Ogier and Ron Le Moignan favour an outright ban.
‘I think it’s worth asking them [the retailers] how they get on with the voluntary stopping of plastic bags and if the answer is not favourable, then I’m more in the Al Brouard camp than the Bill Bell one,’ said Deputy Ogier.
Deputy Bell added that he was encouraged by the increase in reusable plastic bag orders, which grew by 138% to 59,116 last year.
However, Deputy Ogier said that was from a small base to start with and it would therefore be easier to obtain a more-satisfying percentage.
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