27 March 2008 - Green Party Councillors are calling on the Norwich residents to participate in the city's plastic bag free day, organised by the Norwich Carbon Reduction Trust, taking place tomorrow (Friday 28 March).
Councillor Adrian Ramsay, Co-ordinator of the Green Party City Councillors, said: "The day is an opportunity to highlight the various environmental problems associated with plastic bags. Research shows that most plastic bags have an average life span of 12 minutes and take a further damaging 400 years to decompose in landfill sites. From the oil-based materials used in their production to the vast numbers lying as waste in open landfill sites, damaging wildlife and littering the streets, plastic bags are an unnecessary waste in our increasingly environmentally aware society.
"The problem will not be resolved until there is legislation to reduce plastic bag usage and other packaging. In 2002, the Irish Government introduced a tax of 15 cents per bag, which resulted in a 90 per cent drop in plastic bag usage. Crucially, it also raised 3.5 million Euros, which was then spent on environmental projects throughout the country. The Green Party is campaigning for an obligatory 10p 'plastax' per bag and we would also encourage the use of re-usable bags and 'bags for life' that many stores are promoting becoming more commonplace."