Victoria bans the bag

The Andrews Labor government has announced it will ban single-use, lightweight plastic shopping bags in Victoria.

Experience in other jurisdictions shows that banning lightweight plastics can lead to undesirable results, including increased use of heavier duty plastics, which can have an even greater environmental impact.

That is why the Labor government will work with the community on how to best manage plastic pollution, and deliver a workable scheme that doesn’t unfairly impact on consumers, retailers, industry or the environment.

“We will work closely with Victorian communities and businesses to design the ban; we’re proud that we’re doing our bit to reduce the impact plastic bags have on our environment,” said Minister for Environment Lily D’Ambrosio.

Plastics in the environment break up into smaller and smaller pieces over time, becoming increasingly difficult to manage. They can end up in our waterways, lakes and oceans — contributing to litter and posing a significant hazard to our marine life.

Reducing the number of plastic bags we use is an important part of addressing the overall impacts of plastic pollution in Victoria.

“Banning single-use plastic bags will slash waste, reduce litter and help protect marine life in Victoria’s pristine waters,” said D’Ambrosio.

The 2015/16 Keep Australia Beautiful National Litter Index reported that Victoria has the lowest litter count in the country for the fifth year in a row.

The Victorian Budget 2017/18 builds on this success, providing $30.4 million over four years in new funding to improve the ways we manage waste and recover resources.

To find out more and have your say, visit engage.vic.gov.au/waste/plastic-pollution.