Government Action on Carrier Bags Could Help Consumers Waste Less and Recycle More Things More Often, says WRAP
WRAP, the packaging and waste advisory body, said today a tax or levy on throwaway bags could help play a significant role in changing consumer behaviour by giving a major incentive to re-use bags for shopping.
Research shows there is a strong consumer will to cut the environmental impact of free single-use bags, but that it is harder to get consumers into the habit of re-use.
The Government has signalled that it will take action to end the use of “single use” plastic bags, possibly through a tax or levy. There is a drive to tackle the impact of free single-use carrier bags because they are a highly visible part of litter, they do not degrade quickly and they are an icon of our throwaway society.
However WRAP said that any tax or levy must be designed to minimise harmful side effects. It must tackle all carrier bags and not just one material. It must overtly encourage the re-use of bags, for example through the take up of “bags for life”, to help shoppers reduce the cost of such measures.
WRAP called for the proceeds generated from any tax or levy to be used to fund schemes which encourage behaviour which benefits the environment. For example, this could include improved local recycling facilities for all materials, encouraging reductions in food waste, and making available a limited number of free “bags for life” to consumers for a period before any charge is introduced.
Liz Goodwin, Chief Executive of WRAP, said: “Carrier bags are iconic of our throwaway society. Action by business and Government on this issue could help focus our attention on other key environmental issues such as the 5.9 million tonnes of packaging and the 6.7 million tonnes of food that we are throwing away each year. This debate around carrier bags will lead to a wider awareness of our impact on the environment. Large benefits will be realised if it helps change our behaviour in other environmentally beneficial ways for example by wasting less and recycling more.”
She added: “We at WRAP believe it is important to use funds raised by any tax or levy to encourage behaviour which more widely benefits the environment. This could include improved recycling facilities and helping us all reduce food waste.”
Editor's notes:
- WRAP works in partnership to encourage and enable businesses and consumers to be more efficient in their use of materials and recycle more things more often. This helps to minimise landfill, reduce carbon emissions and improve our environment.
- Established as a not-for-profit company in 2000, WRAP is backed by government funding from England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
- Working in seven key areas (Construction, Retail, Manufacturing, Organics, Business Growth, Behavioural Change, and Local Authority Support), WRAP’s work focuses on market development and support to drive forward recycling and materials resource efficiency within these sectors, as well as wider communications and awareness activities including the multi-media national Recycle Now campaign for England.
- More information on all of WRAP's programmes can be found on www.wrap.org.uk
