PLASTIC bag recycling has arrived – organised by private enterprise. Checkers Superstore at Admiral Park is providing bins for unwanted bags. They will be baled and exported at the store’s expense.

Two bins will be put at the front of the store and can be used for any bags, regardless of which shop they have come from.

‘We are aware of the impact that plastic bags have on the Channel Islands’ environment and we want to address that impact responsibly,’ said director of store operations Mark Cox.

‘The States in both Guernsey and Jersey are introducing many new environmental initiatives, but have not yet tackled plastic bags. We decided that it was time to invest in this initiative for the Channel Islands.’

Jan Dockerill, the Environment Department’s recycling officer, is backing the scheme.

‘This is a great initiative being launched by Checkers and the department is very definitely supportive of its aims. It’s a very clear recycling scheme that helps waste minimisation and therefore cuts down the amount going to the ever-filling tip at Mont Cuet.

‘It also shows that not all recycling schemes have to be organised by government and businesses are in a good position to take the lead.’

Each bin cost £500 and Checkers will pay for all the plastic bags collected to be shipped to a UK recycling company.

It has not estimated how many bags it will have to deal with.

‘There’s an initial set-up cost, but for a business like us that is only small,’ said Mr Cox.

‘We have set no estimates at all because it depends on how our customers react to it, but we hope they look at it as a positive step as well.’

Mr Cox confirmed that if the scheme proved successful at the superstore, then bag recycling bins could be placed at its other stores in Guernsey.

In an effort to reduce its impact on the environment, Checkers has aimed to reduce the overall use of plastic carrier bags by promoting the Bag for Life scheme, under which customers pay 10p for a large, reusable bag.

‘Ideally, we would like our customers to buy a Bag for Life and bring it to the store every time they shop, but we know that the majority of islanders have not yet got into that habit.’

Last year more than 11 million plastic bags were used in all of Checkers’ stores.

Since the launch of Bag For Life, more than 88,000 have been sold, and the number of carrier bags used has reduced by nearly three million.