Carrier bag charge 'should pay' for river plastic clean-up

Tesco and other major retailers should pay towards cleaning up plastic from rivers in Wales - using cash made from the carrier bag levy, litter pickers have said.

Jim Brooks-Dowsett, part of a team of paddle boarders who picked litter from the River Taff in Cardiff, said it would be helpful if funds from the 5p carrier bag charge were spent on the environment.

Under legislation Tesco, and other companies, have to give income from the levy to charities after costs - but these do not have to be focused on the environment.

Tesco said it had already given over £3m to community projects from cash generated by the carrier bag levy - and charities could apply to get the money.