Move for WA ban on plastic bags

Plastic shopping bags would be banned in Western Australia under a plan to be tabled
when parliament resumes in Perth in February.

Opposition environment spokeswoman Sally Talbot on Saturday announced she would
introduce a private member's bill to ban plastic shopping bags, of which it is
estimated some 400 million are used in the state each year.
"Only about three per cent are recycled. The rest end up either in our environment
or in landfill," Dr Talbot said in a statement.
Despite much talk of a national ban on plastic shopping bags, there has been no
country-wide agreement.
Dr Talbot said it was time for West Australia to take a stand and follow the example
set by states such as South Australia where a ban is already in place.
"Several WA councils and communities including Albany and Fremantle have moved to
eliminate plastic bag use and there is wide support for a ban from all round Western
Australia," she said.
"Nobody is in any doubt that plastic bags cause environmental damage."