Page 371 - Week 02 - Tuesday, 19 February 2019
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plastic bags, which allows one minister to consider both the environmental and waste impact objectives of the plastic bag ban. However, the government will continue to consider the governance framework for the ban.
For example, recent plastic bag bans in other states have also been established under the umbrella of broader waste or environmental legislation. Along with allowing for greater regulatory efficiency, this may also allow a more consistent approach to waste management and enable a more flexible approach as our understanding of problematic materials evolves.
Recommendation 4 of the report explored the potential of the ACT government to research synergies for introducing compostable plastic bags, which could feed into a future ACT household organic collection scheme. We need to continue to assess the future potential of bags to be biodegradable and compostable, though compostable bags may not break down in household composting. If disposed of incorrectly, these bags may instead break down in landfill, contributing to greenhouse emissions.
Dealing with large quantities of compostable bags also requires detailed planning. The waste feasibility study recommended the implementation of food and organic waste collection in the future and this may require consideration of new infrastructure for large-scale composting or other biological processes, such as controlled anaerobic digestion.
A ban on single-use lightweight plastic bags now exists, or is in development, in every Australian state and territory except New South Wales. The Australian bans already in effect share some common characteristics, including a minimum bag thickness of 35 microns or greater, with penalties available for retailer noncompliance.
However, the most recent state bans do not exempt biodegradable and compostable bags due in part to the persistent environmental impacts of these products when not managed correctly. We must consider the unintended consequences of compostable plastic bags in challenging single-use culture and start encouraging the reuse of durable, environmentally-friendly bags.
Each of the recommendations and alternative options presented in the commissioner’s report requires further detailed consideration. The government will take additional time to consider the social, environmental and economic impacts of potential changes to the current plastic bag ban and do so in consultation with the affected businesses and the community. However, a much broader approach is needed than the issues contained in the report.
While the commissioner’s recommendations took a narrow approach, focusing on shopping bags only, we know that plastic bags are only one part of a much larger plastics problem. In fact, one expert estimated in the report that plastic bags represent less than one per cent of the waste going into landfill in the ACT. So while we support the intent of the recommendations made by the commissioner, we also need to consider greater regulation in tackling other types of plastics.
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