Newcastle Council Joins Push To Ban Plastic Bags

BY IAN CROUCH

Newcastle Council is joining with others across the state in calling on the state government to ban single use plastic bags.

A recent global study found 83 percent of drinking water supplies contained micro-plastic, while clean-up crews remove thousands of kilograms of plastic containers and bags each month from the mangroves which line the Hunter River at Carrington.

Greens Councillor, John Mackenzie says it's time the NSW government followed the lead of other states and ban the bag.

"...quite an extraordinary situation really when you have every state and territory in Australia as well as the major retailers like Coles, Woolworths and Aldi all committed to getting rid of single use plastic bags, and the only ones lagging behind is NSW," he said.

Newcastle Greens Councillor John Mackenzie

Calls for the Government to ban plastic bags

BY LAURISE DICKSON

Member for Charlestown, Jodie Harrison is calling for the NSW Government to support Labor's commitment to ban single-use plastic bags.

In giving her Notice of Motion, Ms Harrison commended supermarket giants Coles and Woolworths who recently announced their plans to phase out single-use plastic bags over the next 12 months.

The Labor Government are urging the NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian to follow in the footsteps of the ACT, South Australia, Tasmania and the Northern Territory, who have all banned single-use plastic bags, with Queensland committing to do so next year.

"I call on the Premier to show some leadership and support NSW Labor in bringing an end to the use of these plastic bags," said Ms Harrison.

Ms Harrison believes the environment will continue to suffer if something isn't done to combat this issue.

"Plastic bags that are provided by retailers end up in our waterways and natural areas, and that damages our environment and our animals," said Ms Harrison.

"We've seen terrible photographs of turtles being caught in plastic bags and we know that fish end up with pieces of plastic inside them."

Ms Harrison says local residents can make a difference by choosing reusable bags over plastic bags when they shop.

"Whether they be cloth or silk, there are a lot of different bags that people can use."