Capital-wide ban on plastic bags a step closer

15 November 2007

London’s council leaders have moved to ban the distribution of free plastic bags in the capital after receiving widespread backing from the public.

Over 90% of respondents to a London ouncils consultation called for action on shopping bags, with nearly 60% calling for an outright ban.

The London Local Authorities (Shopping Bag) Bill is due to be delivered to Parliament on 27 November. In London, a conservative figure based on population size would indicate Londoners use at least 1.6BN bags per year – although the number of tourists in the capital suggests that this figure is probably much higher.

Welcoming the decision, London Councils chairman, Councillor Merrick Cockell, said: ‘The campaign to rid the capital of the environmental blight of throw away shopping bags begins here.

‘As a society, we need to do far more to reduce the amount of waste we are sending to landfill and London as a city is determined to take an ambitious lead on this issue.’ While the purpose of the Bill will be to encourage shops to provide more environmentally friendly alternatives, they will still be able to sell plastic bags.

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Capital-wide ban on plastic bags a step closer

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