Following the lead of Ireland, Australia is considering levying the equivalent of a 14-cent (US) charge for every plastic shopping bag used by customers.
However, it is unlikely such a levy could happen for two years, since the five-year agreement between the government and industry not to levy a surcharge is only three-years old.
Like Ireland, Australia is trying to find a way to reduce the number of plastic bags ending up in its landfills.
However, it is unlikely such a levy could happen for two years, since the five-year agreement between the government and industry not to levy a surcharge is only three-years old.
Like Ireland, Australia is trying to find a way to reduce the number of plastic bags ending up in its landfills.
- KC's View:
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Ireland, from which we are reporting today, has been pretty successful in its endeavor to wean shoppers off plastic bags, and we particularly like the reusable cloth Greenbag that is being sold for about a buck at its checkouts.
There’s really no reason not to move to this kind of system, and we think it’ll be seen in a lot of other countries in the not too distant future. And we even may buy a bunch of them and use them back home when we go to the store.