The analysis comes as Environment Ministers from across Australia meet in Melbourne today.
Greenpeace plastics campaigner Samantha Wockner, who is in Melbourne with Greenpeace supporters demonstrating outside the meeting, said:
“It’s time for New South Wales and Victoria to clean up their act and finally ban the bag.
“Every other state and territory is banning the bag and even the big supermarket chains are acting.
“Government inaction in our two most populous states is letting down the country.
“We’re calling on NSW Environment Minister Upton and Victorian Environment Minister D'Ambrosio to finally ban the bag at today’s meeting of environment ministers.
“Our analysis shows that the New South Wales and Victorian governments can’t get away with the excuse that they don’t need to act because the supermarkets are.
“Even once the supermarket bans are in place, there will be 1.6 to 2 billion bags each year not covered if NSW and Victoria fail to act.
“The analysis also shows that many websites including some government sources in Australia grossly underestimate the amount of plastic bags being used.
“Our oceans are already being clogged up with plastic pollution, and the last thing we need is billions more bags across NSW and Victoria ending up in these states’ beautiful beaches, waterways and oceans to strangle and suffocate marine life,” Ms Wockner said.
Contact – Monique Vandeleur 0419 588 430
Notes for editors:
For a copy of the analysis go to the Greenpeace blog
http://www.greenpeace.org.au/blog/billions-of-bags/#.WX_PEVqg9QN