Sign The Open Letter: Ban Plastic Bags

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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

  • Cristine Logan
    signed 2015-12-15 13:55:37 +1100
  • Timothy Head
    signed 2015-12-15 13:14:04 +1100
  • adrian sanchez
    signed 2015-12-15 12:53:50 +1100
  • lorraine boyd
    signed 2015-12-15 11:47:42 +1100
  • Jane Herring-Noal
    signed via 2015-12-15 11:11:12 +1100
  • Sharon Gallen
    posted about this on Facebook 2015-12-15 10:47:09 +1100
    I just signed the open letter calling on Environment Ministers to ban single use plastic bags.
  • Sharon Gallen
    signed 2015-12-15 10:46:11 +1100
  • Andrew Wilson
    signed 2015-12-15 10:15:13 +1100
  • Ranja Marianne Bendixen
    signed via 2015-12-15 10:09:14 +1100
  • Bette Mifsud
    @bettrev1 tweeted link to this page. 2015-12-15 10:00:33 +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=38549
  • Bette Mifsud
    signed via 2015-12-15 10:00:11 +1100
  • Abigail Humphreys
    posted about this on Facebook 2015-12-15 09:46:25 +1100
    I just signed the open letter calling on Environment Ministers to ban single use plastic bags.
  • Abigail Humphreys
    signed 2015-12-15 09:46:04 +1100
    protect out water and marine wild life
  • Rayel Rahme
    signed 2015-12-15 09:07:04 +1100
  • Frances Hunt
    signed 2015-12-15 06:01:25 +1100
    My grandchildren and I collect rubbish on Chinamans Beach when we visit. I see the number of bags and huge swags of plastic. I could always wrap rubbish in newspaper as I did as a child.

    Frances Hunt
  • Kathleen Grace
    signed 2015-12-15 05:56:15 +1100
  • Colleen Rees
    signed via 2015-12-15 05:37:40 +1100
  • jorja murphy
    signed via 2015-12-15 01:59:49 +1100
  • Leah cowan
    signed via 2015-12-15 01:33:43 +1100
  • ben laumen
    signed via 2015-12-15 01:23:27 +1100
  • Isobel Gillman
    posted about this on Facebook 2015-12-15 00:11:58 +1100
    I just signed the open letter calling on Environment Ministers to ban single use plastic bags.
  • Isobel Gillman
    signed 2015-12-15 00:11:11 +1100
  • Todd Delfs
    signed via 2015-12-15 00:04:06 +1100
  • Raelene Murphy
    signed via 2015-12-14 23:18:22 +1100
  • Natalie Woods
    signed via 2015-12-14 23:00:38 +1100
  • Karen Curtis
    signed 2015-12-14 22:17:22 +1100
  • Clare Paine
    signed 2015-12-14 22:08:43 +1100
  • Ryahn Rahme
    signed 2015-12-14 22:06:43 +1100
    There’s no better time than now, the sooner the better
  • Ross Paine
    signed via 2015-12-14 22:05:24 +1100
  • Lyall Davieson
    signed 2015-12-14 22:01:14 +1100
    Let’s break our love affair with plastic