#BanTheBag in Victoria - CERES School of Nature & Climate

Source: Boomerang Alliance

NSW and Victoria remain the only states left in Australia to ban plastic bags after Western Australia confirmed their move to take action from July 2018. WA follows Queensland after they confirmed the ban of plastic bags earlier this month. South Australia lead the way banning the bag back in 2009.

More than 1.5 million tonnes of plastics is consumed in Australia with only 300,000 tonnes being recycled. Clean Up volunteers report that 5.5% of the plastics removed from Victorian streets, parks, beaches, bushland and waterways are plastic bags. This plastic breaks down but never goes away, ultimately finding their way into waterways and oceans, and killing the marine life and birds that digest it.

A report has estimated that by 2050, the weight of plastics in the oceans will match that of fish! Another report has revealed that plastics are not only harming our wildlife, but also billions of people globally, after tests showed that 83% of drinking water samples from around the world were contaminated with plastic particles. This has lead to urgent scientific research on the implications of this on our health. Let’s hope this new revelation is the extra push Victoria and NSW need to join the rest of Australia in banning the plastic bag!

Source: Orbmedia.org

Following Western Australia’s announcement on the ban, the Victorian Greens party will push ahead with their bill to ban single-use plastic bags to a vote in October. Environment Minister Lily D’Ambrosio said in a statement: “We look forward to making an announcement soon.”

There are a few campaigns out there inviting you to add your voice; these include Boomerang Alliance’s, Greenpeace and Clean Up in partnership with The Project. Let’s all work together to #BanTheBag across Australia once and for all!