Anglesey shoppers are being urged to prepare for the introduction of the carrier bag charge. From today (1 October 2011) there will be a minimum charge of 5p for every single-use carrier bag.
The typical shopper in the UK uses anything up to 720 carrier bags every year. The Welsh Government wants to drastically reduce the amount of single-use bags we use, which is why from October you’ll be charged for a bag wherever you shop. You don’t have to pay a penny though. By remembering to take your reusable shopping bag with you every time you shop you’ll avoid the charge and save valuable resources.
“More than 8 out of 10 carrier bags are disposed of in landfill; many more end up as rubbish. Each plastic bag can take up to 1,000 years to decompose, and may never break-down in landfill. We simply cannot continue wasting our valuable resources in this way” says Elin Jones, Senior Waste Management Officer at Isle of Anglesey County Council.
Paper bags are not an environmentally friendly alternative; they are still a waste of natural resources. Even starch based biodegradable and fully compostable bags use natural resources. If these are only used for one trip and not composted, these are a bigger waste of resources than conventional plastic carrier bags.
“It is great the Plas Cybi Food Co-operative have moved away from single use bags to reusable bags. We’re calling on shoppers to remember to pack their reusable bag whenever and wherever they shop, so that they avoid the charge and help protect Wales’ beautiful environment,” says Elin.
For more information about the introduction of a minimum 5p charge for single-use carrier bags visit www.carrierbagchargewales.gov.uk
