Its time for the Milton Ulladulla region to break that plastic bag habit, to help our harbour and others areas filling up with plastic bags.

Plus the homes in West Ulladulla (near the tip) would love not having their backyards covered in plastic bags after a slight yet alone a strong westerly wind.

The overuse of plastic bags is wasteful of resources and energy, a litter problem, a disposal problem and harmful to wildlife on land and in our waterways.

The average small retail shop gives away between 25,000 - 30,000 plastic bags per year. Every year, 20 million Australians use nearly 7 billion plastic check-out bags. Tens of millions of these plastic bags litter the Australian environment killing thousands of marine animals every year. Planet Ark wants to stop this.

Retail outlets in the Milton Ulladulla region are spending over $120,000 per year on plastic bags. One business actually spend $12,000 and this cost is passed onto us the consumer.

Plastic shopping bags cost retailers between 4 - 6 cents each and these costs are passed onto shoppers via the cost of the goods that we purchase. Plastic bags are not free - they are actually adding an estimated $173 million a year to Australia's grocery bills.

Coles Ulladulla carry calico bags plus you can also get the new "Go Green" (Environment Fund Landcare Australia, Clean Up Australia and Planet Ark) bags.

The new "Go Green Bags" will also be available at the new Bi-Lo opening in Ulladulla sometime in 2005/6. Coles and Bi-Lo are committed to reducing the impact of supermarket plastic bags on the environment by making quality alternatives available to their customers.

Under an agreement between the Federal Government and the Australian Retailers Association (ARA), retailers have until December 2004 to reduce their consumption of lightweight single use plastic check-out bags by 25%. This rises to 50% by December 2005.

If the targets are not achieved, it is highly likely that a tax of 25 cent per plastic bag will be applied. A tax would cost us the consumer millions of dollars and cause serious administrative and operational inefficiencies for retailers, and is likely to require system changes similar to those required to implement GST.

So how about us the consumer start now by using cailco bags which are hard wearing and washable. Or ask the shop for a cardboard box (they are free).

At least 80 million plastic bags end up as litter on our beaches, streets and parks. Australian local and State Governments spend over $200 million a year picking up litter.

Plastic bag free zone links



The Plastic Bag Free campaign is a Planet Ark campaign



Ulladulla.info