JOINT RELEASE: Call to cease plastic bag plague – new poll

With over one billion plastic bags littered in the last 10 years, it’s time for a ban, key environment groups said today, as Australia’s environment ministers prepare to meet on the issue.

They also released a new poll showing 65% of residents in NSW, VIC and WA supported a ban; with 79% support in states with existing bans (see below).

“The environmental and community verdict is in – it’s time for state governments to take action. The growing alarm about plastic pollution of the ocean is creating added urgency which can’t be ignored,” said Jeff Angel, Director of the Boomerang Alliance of 47 groups.

Greenpeace Senior Media Campaigner, Simon Black, said: "Australians use tens of millions of plastic bags each day". 

"An estimated 50 million of the littered bags end up in our waterways and oceans each year. There is now an estimated 1.7 million tonnes of plastic contaminating our waterways.” 

"Much of it in the form of invisible microplastics which cannot be seen but kill marine life and contaminating our food."

Ian Kiernan, AO, Chairman of CleanUp Australia said: “We’re seeing more and more businesses and local communities ditching the plastic bag. There are plenty of alternatives. Governments should take their guide from this and enact state laws.”

Omnipoll 25 May - 5 June 2017

Support or not the ban in "STATE" of single use plastic bags given out at supermarket and store checkouts. 

Column %	Total of all states	NSW	VIC	WA	States with existing bans
Yes/support	67	63	67	68	79
No/do not support	20	22	20	19	15
Unsure/can't say	13	15	14	13	6
NET	100	100	100	100	100
Column n	1116	353	308	302	153
Column	14199	612	456	198	1520

 

 

Further information:

Jeff Angel, Boomerang Alliance - 0418 273 773

Simon Black, Greenpeace, 0418 219 086