Fed: Govt can use levy to cut number of plastic bags: Brown

00-00-0000
Fed: Govt can use levy to cut number of plastic bags: Brown

Australian Greens senator BOB BROWN says plastic bags should be slugged with a 15 centlevy to reduce the number of bags being used.

Senator BROWN says Environment Minister DAVID KEMP should introduce the levy to coincidewith the World Summit on Sustainable Development, being held in South Africa this week.

Senator BROWN says a similar levy in Ireland had resulted in a 90 per cent drop inthe number of plastic bags given away at supermarkets.

He says if the same happened in Australia, the number of plastic bags used would dropto 600 million from 6 billion.

Senator BROWN says plastic bags kill some species of whales and dolphins, which mistakethe bags for squid.

He says most plastic bags end up in landfills, on roadsides or in the nation's waterways.

AAP RTV sw/jtb/psm/

KEYWORD: BAGS (CANBERRA)