Victoria Ban Single Use Plastic Bags

Victoria Ban Single Use Plastic Bags

Victoria has now banned single use plastic bags. The ban came into effect on November 1st, ensuring most retailers no longer use plastic bags. This is a great step in the right direction to becoming a more environmentally friendly state. The use of plastic bags is a major contributor to our growing landfill issues. Our waterways are also a place where a lot of plastic bags end up. It has been estimated that Victorians use over one billion plastic bags each year. Lightweight plastic bags can take years to break down. When they do break down, it is into little pieces which is harmful to the environment.

Supermarket Single Use Plastic Bag Ban

Larger supermarket around Victoria introduced the ban of plastic bags from July 2018. Coles, Woolworths and IGAs around the country now only offer reusable bags that customers can buy. Most of us are now aware of the need to bring our own bags when we do the shopping. At first this may have seemed like a hassle but once we got the hang of it it’s worked well. Along with these larger supermarkets all retails outlets will not be able to supply single use plastic bags. It is now illegal and people that do supply these plastic bags can get fined thousands of dollars.

Support for Plastic Ban

Victorians have shown their support for the ban of plastic bags. With a lot of retailers switching to reusable bags well before the ban came into effect. Much of the public is onboard and happy to use reusable bag and there are some pretty cool looking designs available now. Most of us now see the importance of keeping our oceans, rivers and waterways free from plastic pollution. We need to continue to take these steps in the right direction to make sure we have a clean and sustainable future. With the ban of plastic bags working well let’s hope there are more steps to reducing other types of plastic waste.