01.ACT bans plastic bags
The ACT Legislative Assembly today passed a new law to prohibit the use of plastic bags.
From November next year the ban will apply to lightweight plastic bags used by supermarkets. This follows a similar ban in South Australia, which was the first state to proscribe plastic bags in May 2009. Tasmania has also tabled a bill to disallow single use plastic shopping bags.
A CHOICE report published in November found that Australia is lagging behind many European countries, and China, in banning single use plastic bags. Although some communities have taken the initiative to phase out these bags, New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria, and Western Australia have no plans to introduce a ban.