Maribyrnong council is joining the chorus of support for a statewide ban on single use plastic bags.
Councillors last week backed a motion by mayor Catherine Cumming calling on the Victorian government to join South Australia, Tasmania, Northern Territory, the ACT and Queensland in passing legislation to ban or limit the distribution of the bags.
Cr Cumming’s motion noted that there was a growing move to ban plastic bags in the remaining states of Victoria, Western Australia and New South Wales.
“It’s a simple step and something the community is calling out for,” she said.
“They are wanting to ban single use bags … there is an appetite for this.”
Cr Cumming said the community was looking to all levels of government to do more to tackle problems with waste.
She called on the state and federal governments to stop “squabbling” over the issue and to take action.
Councillor Simon Crawford seconded the motion.
“I think plastic bags are a menace for our environment,” he said.
“They end up in our creeks and rivers, down in the bay and in our parks.”
Australians use an estimated six billion plastic bags every year.
Woolworths and Coles last month announced they would be phasing out the bags in the next 12 months, ahead of a total ban by June 30 next year.
Benjamin Millar
