Irish Plastic Bag Tax- A Solution for Australia?

[Penn Gwynne <>]

G'day Ralph abd All,

 

I totally agree Ralph BUT we could easily disadvantage those who already are disadvantaged? thee poor of the community .... upping the cost factor hurts more then many realise.

 

I've just got back from buying a brand new "leather" trouser belt from MY local "Salvation army shop. Whilst there I saw calico bags for a whooping great two dollars per bag. This bag is re-usable over and over again and what's more it's washable.

 

Shame we can't buy BIRDS AUSTRALIA or BOCA bags I for one would be very proud to carry birds home in such a bag. Each bag sold at the "Salvo's" means more money to help those that most need it.

 

I also got some prizes from there "near brand new "Zircon" birding binoculars. Zircon great eh :^D>>>

 

Ralph if we ruffle too many feathers don't worry my Doona needs restuffing :^D>>>

 

I'll potter off now and get some olde bags to give away as competition prizes a good idea eh? :^D>>>

 

Ooroo mate thanks for thee input. JAG still Whagging

Reid <> wrote:

 

It is obvious that the problem with 'free' throw-away plastic bags is that
something which has no cost has no value. The only way to make people take notice of the problem is to impose a tax/charge on bags, so that people realise they are being financially disadvantaged when they dispose of them, and treat them as a resource rather than as discardable rubbish. Nothing catches people's attention more than a twinge in the hip-pocket nerve.

We live in an area close to an Aldi store; Aldi charge for all their bags,
and they are heavy-weight durable construction (unlike the normal flimsy
supermarket bags) which enables them to be reused numerous times. And guess what? I have NEVER seen an Aldi bag discarded on the roadside, or dumped, or anywhere else outside a supermarket for that matter.

Another system that could be used is to have some type of substantial/robust bag and a 'refundable deposit' scheme, but I am not sure how that would work. It might ce rtainly encourage people to retrieve carry bags. I think perhaps South Australia still has a refundable deposit on soft drink bottles. Is that so, does anyone know? And, if so, how effective is it? I remember in NSW when we had refundable deposits on bottles (back in the 1970s, if memory serves) they certainly never littered the streets as they now do. But shopping bags? Practical or impractical?

Regards
Ralph Reid
Sydney

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