Australia has slashed its formative bag habit by up to 80 percent within just three months , according toAustralia ’s National Retail Association , which is some nifty news for platypus , dugongs , and pig - nosed turtle .
Remarkably , this drop cloth in formative grip uptake did not come right away from any government policy , it was effectively a business conclusion . This acute turn around is largely thanks to two of the big supermarket chains , Coles and Woolworths , decide to implement a countrywide prohibition on free lightweight moldable grocery grip in July , put back them with reusable bags trade for 15 centime .
In total , it has potentially prevented as many as 1.5 billion bags from enter the surround .
“ Retailers merit an tremendous amount of praise for leading the mode on one of the most meaning changes to consumer behaviour in generations and we also applaud shoppers for cover this environmental opening move , ” David Stout , Manager of Industry Policy at the National Retail Association , said in astatement .
“ Nation - wide retailers have go the way and as a issue also assisted smaller businesses in providing a template on how to manage the transition to a plastic bag - free retail surround . As a result , we are seeing similar change made across the food , homeware , and service category . ”
The phase - out of lightweight plastic pocketbook down under is being prosecute by confidence on a regional floor , as opposed to interior . fictile bag bans are in place or pending in most states and territories in Australia , except the eastern State Department of New South Wales – Australia ’s most populated state .
However , the determination by the magnanimous Aussie chains did n’t occur well . Coles appeared slightly reluctant to impose the ban , summerset - flop back and forthon their plans several times after shoppers object to the alteration .
“ The decision by certain retailers to no longer offer barren single - exercise plastic carry bags for sure received a hostile response from some shoppers initially , but these retailer deserve credit for dramatically reducing the figure of bags in circulation , ” added Stout .
While many regions and nation across the world have depart to implement plastic grip bans , there’sstill a long way to gowhen we tattle about plastic befoulment in oecumenical .
According tostatistics from 2010 , nation in East Asia – China , Indonesia , the Philippines , Vietnam , and Thailand – are the top producers of the plastic trash that terminate up in our oceans . China is the largest producer of plastic waste by a huge margin , responsible for for 8.8 million tonnes ( 9.7 million tons ) of mismanaged charge plate waste , 3.53 million tonnes ( 3.89 million tons ) of which end up in the world ’s H2O each year . They are followed by Indonesia , which acquire 3.2 million tonne ( 3.5 million tons ) of mismanaged plastic waste each year , around 1.29 million tonnes ( 1.42 million net ton ) of which ended up in the world ’s amnionic fluid .
Fortunately , as this recent news clear evidence , big change can materialize .
