Sign The Open Letter: Ban Plastic Bags

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GOAL: 2,000

Dear Minister,

Environment ministers have been discussing the issue of removing plastic bags from the litter stream and...

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Dear Minister,

Environment ministers have been discussing the issue of removing plastic bags from the litter stream and marine environment for long enough.

Every Australian wants our stunning rivers, oceans and waterways to have a clean and healthy future. Plastic pollution infests waterways, clogging them with plastic bags, packaging and microbeads.  In Australia, the CSIRO Marine Debris Report 2014 estimated there are over 124 billion individual pieces of visible plastic littering the Australian coastline.

The tripartisan 2016 Senate Inquiry into Marine Plastic Pollution urged Australian state and federal governments to ban plastic bags and microbeads as a matter of urgency.

Tasmania, the ACT, the Northern Territory and South Australia have already banned single use plastic bags and can improve their legislation to include 'so-called biodegradable' bags which are just as big a problem in the marine environment as conventional plastic bags.

We are calling on Environment Ministers in NSW, Victoria and Western Australia to catch up and take immediate action by banning single use plastic bags (including so-called biodegradable bags). 

Plastic pollution is lethal. We need strong action now.

 

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Will you sign?


In July 2017 Environment Ministers are meeting to discuss what to do about plastic bags.

Tasmania, the ACT, The Northern Territory and South Australia have already banned single use plastic bags and Queensland is introducing a ban in July 2018.

We're making sure when they meet that the NSW, Victorian and WA Ministers know there is huge community support for taking action on plastic bags. We've joined with 49 community and environment groups, representing thousands of members, to write an open letter demanding greater action. Add your name to the open letter today to let the ministers know you support a ban on plastic bags.  

There is increasing evidence that even though a small percentage of bags are littered and then broken up into smaller and smaller pieces – they have a devastating impact on the environment. This includes so called ‘biodegradable’ bags, which are just as dangerous in the marine environment.

With the CSIRO Marine Debris Report 2014 estimating there are over 124 billion individual pieces of visible plastic littering the Australian coastline – and a large legacy of plastic from previous years becoming microplastic – action needs to be taken on multiple fronts.

Plastic pollution is a major threat to wildlife. Globally it is estimated that 1 million sea birds and over 100,000 mammals die every year as a result of plastic ingestion or entanglement. Of great concern are the secondary microplastics derived from broken up bags and bottles.

We estimate that some 180 million bags enter the Australian environment every year.

Read the full letter and our policy recommendations here

Thanks to our partners who joined the open letter. 


Showing 1710 reactions

  • Erin Kindt
    posted about this on Facebook 2015-12-11 16:59:43 +1100
    I just signed the open letter calling on Environment Ministers to ban single use plastic bags.
  • Erin Kindt
    signed 2015-12-11 16:59:17 +1100
  • Astrid Miller
    signed 2015-12-11 16:58:13 +1100
  • Karen Pugh
    signed 2015-12-11 16:56:22 +1100
  • Kristy Oliver
    signed 2015-12-11 16:55:07 +1100
  • Beau Meney
    signed 2015-12-11 16:53:25 +1100
  • Shona Whitton
    posted about this on Facebook 2015-12-11 16:52:56 +1100
    I just signed the open letter calling on Environment Ministers to ban single use plastic bags.
  • Shona Whitton
    @ShonaWhitton tweeted link to this page. 2015-12-11 16:52:53 +1100
    I just signed the open letter calling on Environment Ministers to ban single use plastic bags. http://www.boomerangalliance.org.au/banplasticbags?recruiter_id=42707
  • kevin mayo
    signed 2015-12-11 16:52:01 +1100
  • Shona Whitton
    signed 2015-12-11 16:49:44 +1100
  • Lesley Jeavons
    signed 2015-12-11 16:49:25 +1100
    Please ban the single use plastic bags and help save our ocean creatures.
  • Jo Stoyel
    signed 2015-12-11 16:48:50 +1100
    Do it now our reef needs this out sea beds 90% full of plastic and the turtles need our help now for future generations or both our environment and us this must happen now
  • Nicola Fraser
    posted about this on Facebook 2015-12-11 16:47:15 +1100
    I just signed the open letter calling on Environment Ministers to ban single use plastic bags.
  • Nicola Fraser
    @SURGCitScience tweeted link to this page. 2015-12-11 16:47:11 +1100
    I just signed the open letter calling on Environment Ministers to ban single use plastic bags. http://www.boomerangalliance.org.au/banplasticbags?recruiter_id=8670
  • B Berry
    signed 2015-12-11 16:47:04 +1100
  • Kathleen Flanagan
    signed 2015-12-11 16:46:42 +1100
    Banning plastic bags just makes sense. 10 years ago I purchased 30 reusable bags and I believe that by doing this I have saved about 10000 (yes, 10 thousand) plastic bags. It’s an easy, simple thing to do. The reusable bags are also stronger so I don’t have to worry about breaking.
  • Sarah Williams
    signed 2015-12-11 16:46:29 +1100
  • Zoe Roxon
    signed 2015-12-11 16:44:43 +1100
  • Nicola Fraser
    signed 2015-12-11 16:42:54 +1100
    I would like to see a ban on all single-use plastics but a ban on plastic bags would be a great start.
  • Daniel Tedford
    signed 2015-12-11 16:42:23 +1100
  • Courtney Wells
    signed 2015-12-11 16:42:05 +1100
  • piers booth
    signed 2015-12-11 16:38:40 +1100
  • Abigail Davey
    signed 2015-12-11 16:36:13 +1100
  • Martin Kehr
    signed 2015-12-11 16:35:46 +1100
  • Lucas Drady
    signed 2015-12-11 16:35:23 +1100
  • inge Kraus
    signed via 2015-12-11 16:32:53 +1100
  • Rhonda Green
    signed 2015-12-11 16:31:19 +1100
    Long overdue permanent ban on plastic bags, end the destruction on wildlife and the environment. It is obscene to walk into most businesses and see the staff pushing plastic bags onto customers, more often than not they are happy to accept without any thought process.
  • Sid Seiden
    signed 2015-12-11 16:30:54 +1100
    ALL one use plastic containers/blister packaging should be banned !!!
  • Carly Lentowicz
    signed 2015-12-11 16:29:58 +1100
    Plastic bags should no longer exist.
  • Lorraine Walker
    signed 2015-12-11 16:28:30 +1100