Scotland to double the price of plastic bags to help the planet
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Did you know the average family will only recycle about 15 plastic bags each year?
The price of plastic bags is going to double in Scotland.
From April 1 2021, plastic carrier bags will be 10p rather than the current cost of 5p per bag.
It hopes that the double price will encourage people to think about buying a plastic bag and instead turning to reusable options - like tote bags or bags for life.
The idea is that fewer bags being bought should mean less plastic pollution.
But according to Zero Waste Scotland, although plastic bags are increasingly being recycled in the country, the majority still end up in landfill.
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A 5p charge for plastic carrier bags was introduced in 2014 and the following year there was an 80% drop in people using them.
This meant that beaches and sea-life saw a big change too.
The Marine Conservation Society has said that the number of bags found on beaches dropped by 40% each year for the two years after the 5p charge was introduced - reaching 42% between 2018 and 2019.
Where does the money go?
The Scottish Government encourages shops to donate the proceeds from the plastic bag charge to good causes in Scotland - particularly environmental good causes.
However, donating the money raised is only guidance and not compulsory.
What does the Scottish government say?
Scotland's environment secretary, Roseanna Cunningham, wants to encourage people to reuse bags instead of buying new ones.
Ms Cunningham said: "The Scottish Government is committed to building back a greener society so by further reducing our reliance on single-use items, we are taking positive steps to limit our impact on the climate and the environment".
Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Scottish government is looking into making an exemption on the bag charge for certain deliveries and collections. It did something similar when the country first went into lockdown in 2020.
It's hoped more people will use paper or reusable bags instead
What about the rest of the UK?
In August 2020, it was announced that the fee for plastic shopping bags in England will also be doubled to 10p and extended to all shops from April 2021 - that includes small shops.
Since the fee was introduced in England, an estimated 15 billion bags have been taken out of circulation, with studies demonstrating the levy has had an impact on reducing plastic waste on beaches and in the sea.
In 2014, 7.6 billion bags were given away to customers at England's seven largest supermarkets
19 bags are sold per person in the main supermarkets (it was 140 each in 2015)
Between 2017 and 2018 just over a billion bags were sold at major supermarkets across the UK.
Environment Secretary George Eustice described the UK as "a world-leader in this global effort".
Greenpeace said the move was "a small step in the right direction" but urged the government to go further.
The environmental group called for "fast and substantial reductions on plastic pollution" beyond the issue of carrier bags.
In Wales and Northern Ireland, the bag charge remains at 5p.
- Published20 January 2020
- Published21 October 2019
