Dear Minister,

At the last meeting of environment ministers the issue of removing plastic bags from the litter stream and marine environment was discussed. Since that time the need for a ban and significantly reducing the landfilling of plastic has become even more urgent.

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.

The CSIRO suggest that ‘by 2050 ‘99% of all sea birds will have plastic in their gut’. In Queensland, research conducted by the UQ Research Station on Stradbroke Island has concluded that 30% of sea turtles deaths in Moreton Bay are attributable to plastic ingestion, with a further 6% due to entanglement.

As our understanding of the threat of marine plastic pollution improves – the impacts are being rapidly upgraded – most recently, in September this year, Queensland University expanded on CSIRO’s previous estimates in the Scientific Journal ‘Global Change Biology’ concluding that “over half of the world’s sea turtles have eaten plastic or human rubbish”.

Recent data released by the Queensland National Parks and Wildlife Service found that over 70% of loggerhead turtles found dead in Queensland waters have ingested plastic.

We estimate that some 180million bags enter the Australian environment every year (2% of consumption).

We are calling on Environment Ministers to take action and ban single use plastic bags. 

Click to read the full letter and our recommendations

I’m Laura Wells, I am a model and an environmentalist who cares deeply for the health and the future of our amazing planet. I’m excited to be an ambassador for the 36,000 person-strong Boomerang Alliance, and to tackle trash by your side.

It took all of us to get Cash for Containers in NSW. QLD and Victoria are our next targets.
Can you help us get the word out by sharing our video?

In the last two months our campaign for a Cash for Containers scheme in Queensland has gone out to the regions, with much fanfare. Our key supporters, Surfrider Foundation, in particular, has picked up the mantle and made a big noise. With Surfider running the show, we have launched the campaign and our Queensland Plastic Pollution Report.

The Senate is currently conducting an inquiry into the threat of marine plastic pollution in Australia. This is the opportunity for the community, either as individuals or groups, to provide important feedback on the way plastic pollution impacts marine life and to highlight your concerns by reflecting on your own experiences.

Are you aware that the Australian House of Representatives Standing Committee is currently holding an inquiry into the Register of Environmental Organisations and will hold a public hearing in Sydney later in the year? The inquiry will determine whether organisations will be able to continue to receive tax-deductible donations to advocate for the protection of nature.

The Queensland Government has now established two Advisory Committees to assist in the development of a cash for containers scheme and possible plastic packaging bans. I have been appointed on to both committees. We expect that the State Government will be asking the public what they think about these measures, within the next six months.

Yesterday, Members of the Parliament of NSW from all parties supported a ban on lightweight plastic bags in a parliamentary debate led by MP for Coogee, Bruce Notley-Smith, who presented a petition with 12,472 signatures.

The Boomerang Alliance has disclosed  a leaked excerpt of an internal report to the Australian Packaging Covenant (APC) showing misleading plastic packaging recycling rates. The APC is an industry sponsored initiative which has been used by the beverage industry to counteract the push for cash for containers.

The Queensland Government this week announced that they are considering banning plastic bags and other problematic packaging. The decision comes on top of their statement last month that they would investigate a cash for containers scheme for Queensland.