Scotland to charge for plastic bags

[Dave2002]

Although I'm in favour of measures to protect the environment and also reduce CO2 emissions I personally believe that charging for shopping bags is a ridiculous measure which only addresses a few issues, and there are much more important things to deal with.

However, Scotland is going for it - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-27612897

I hope that we don't get this bonkers idea further south. Yell at me if I'm wrong, and explain it to me.

[Flosshilde]

Why do you think that it's bonkers? Do you reject any idea that 'only deals with a few issues' while you wait for an idea that deals with all issues? It seems eminently sensible to me - after all, quite a few shops (including large chains) already charge for bags & nobody seems to mind.

I don't think it's something that needs explaining - the principle seems quite clear to me.

It would have happened several years ago if some numpty Labour MSP hadn't declared that it would be a 'tax on the poor'.

[teamsaint]

Useless distraction from real issues, as Dave 2k +2 suggests.

When we are actually dealing with some of the real environmental and consumption issues in our world, then will be the time to faff around with plastic bags.
This measure doesnt even make sense within its own retail arena, where there is untold waste and polluting material everywhere.

[MrGongGong]

You have to start somewhere
and I thought most places now charge for plastic bags anyway ?

I'm currently at Leeds University doing some rehearsals and they have banned the sale of bottled water on campus and have free water fountains instead........ thus reducing the waste of plastic bottles etc

The number of plastic bags blowing around is worth tackling IMV

[jean]

Useless distraction from real issues...

Of course it's not 'useless', unless you believe that dealing with one issue rules out dealing with any others.

The Welsh have been charging for ages.

http://www.carrierbagchargewales.gov.uk/?skip=1&lang=en

[Beef Oven!]

You have to start somewhere
and I thought most places now charge for plastic bags anyway ?

I'm currently at Leeds University doing some rehearsals and they have banned the sale of bottled water on campus and have free water fountains instead........ thus reducing the waste of plastic bottles etc

The number of plastic bags blowing around is worth tackling IMV

If Morrisons start charging, I'm switching to Asda.

[jean]

Don't worry, though. Plastic waste causes no damage as long as it's somewhere where you can't see it.

http://coastalcare.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/plastic-pollution-indian-patch.jpg

[MrGongGong]

If Morrisons start charging, I'm switching to Asda.

Why don't you take your own bags ?
Been doing that for years

[Serial_Apologist]

Why don't you take your own bags ?
Been doing that for years

Because one still needs plastic bags to bag up non-recyclable rubbish. No one ever seems to mention this. What about used nappies and meat remnants? Here I'm not even able to dispense with my green detritus, living in a block of flats with common bins and no compost heap permitted. Imagine using paper bags! <horror>

[jean]

And how did you manage before plastic bags became available - which wasn't that long ago?

[Richard Barrett]

If Morrisons start charging, I'm switching to Asda.

Good thing you don't live in Germany, all supermarkets charge for bags there. Everyone is used to it. Same in Belgium, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain and Ireland. And Wales even.

[Beef Oven!]

Why don't you take your own bags ?
Been doing that for years

I always forget.

[Beef Oven!]

Good thing you don't live in Germany, all supermarkets charge for bags there. Everyone is used to it. Same in Belgium, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain and Ireland. And Wales even.

Lidl and Aldi do over here, too.

[Anna]

Because one still needs plastic bags to bag up non-recyclable rubbish. No one ever seems to mention this. What about used nappies and meat remnants? Here I'm not even able to dispense with my green detritus, living in a block of flats with common bins and no compost heap permitted. Imagine using paper bags! <horror>

As jean says Wales introduced a charge in October 2011, it hasn't caused any problems, just fold a bag up and slip it in your pocket so you always have one (I think N. Ireland also introduced charging) For disposing of non-recyclable waste you can buy a roll of biodegradeable bags rather than use old supermarket bags.

As for food waste, it's placed in a reusable vermin-proof container (not a black bag) and collected weekly here and sent to worm farms where it eventually turns into compost, ditto green garden waste. Our Council now recycles 62% of all waste, the target is eventually 75%, if Councils don't reach their yearly targets they're fined (or is it different in England?)

[ahinton]

As jean says Wales introduced a charge in October 2011, it hasn't caused any problems, just fold a bag up and slip it in your pocket so you always have one (I think N. Ireland also introduced charging) For disposing of non-recyclable waste you can buy a roll of biodegradeable bags rather than use old supermarket bags.

As for food waste, it's placed in a reusable vermin-proof container (not a black bag) and collected weekly here and sent to worm farms where it eventually turns into compost, ditto green garden waste. Our Council now recycles 62% of all waste, the target is eventually 75%, if Councils don't reach their yearly targets they're fined (or is it different in England?)

Yes, Wales did indeed do that. I get my groceries delivered from Waitrose in Abergavenny (even though I'm not in Wales) and online shopping with them offers the customer the choice of paying for bags or have bagless delivery free of charge, of which I always do the latter; the only problem that I'm aware of is that it takes longer for staff to complete each delivery, but then I suppose that this is Waitrose's problem rather than one that affects the customer.

On the occasions when I actually visit a store to do grocery shopping, I always take one of the French bags issued for free by supermarkets there on a "bag for life" basis (i.e., when one wears out, you return it and it's replaced for free); I have five of them and they've each lasted several years and are still going strong.

Serial_Apologist is correct in what he says, though and your reference to biodegradeable bags makes me wonder why supermarkets don't offer those for free by making small increass in the prices of their products to cover their cost. I don't know what the local authority here do about such matters but the black plastic bags that it used to issue free of charge are no longer issued and, whilst the still weekly garbage collection is so reliable you could almost set your clock by it, the recyclng one never shows up. I don't know about the fine situation that you mention.

Mr Salmond claims (though by no means everyone agrees) that all Scots will be better off by more than £1kp.a. if Scotland goes independent later this year (which, if true, might tempt me to go back); I suppose that he's talking only about Scots who don't use plastic bags...