Wales have already implemented it, Northern Ireland will be implementing it next year, Scotland are consulting on it, and now it seems that many in England would favour a 5p charge for each single-use carrier bag dispensed at shops. The charge is designed to help the environment by encouraging people to stop using such carrier bags and turn to more sustainable/multi-use bags. It is also designed to reduce litter.
Those in Wales have been charged 5p for each single-use bag used since October 2011, and early results seemed to indicate a 60% to 80% reduction in carrier bag use across different supermarkets. This apparent success was followed up by the Scottish Government, which began to consult on a possible 5p charge in June.
Although the Government in England has not officially announced plans to implement the charge, it seems that the English public are largely in support of it. 75% of people quizzed in a recent survey said they would cut down their use of plastic bags if there was a charge, which would have obvious environmental benefits. Furthermore, 56% of those asked agreed that a 5p charge was not unreasonable.
Helen Bingham, the Keep Britain Tidy campaign manager, said, "This research shows that the public are ahead of the Government when it comes to supporting things that are good for the environment. It is time for politicians in Westminster to follow the lead of the Welsh Assembly and introduce a charge that will help reduce the amount of litter blighting our streets, parks and beaches."
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