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Welsh plan may mean 15p bag fee Welsh plan may mean 15p bag fee
(about 9 hours later)
Plans to drastically reduce the use of plastic carrier bags are to be revealed by the Welsh Assembly Government later. Plans to drastically reduce the use of plastic carrier bags have been revealed by the Welsh Assembly Government.
Environment minister Jane Davidson is expected to announce a series of far-reaching proposals which could see shops charge as much as 15p for a bag. Environment minister Jane Davidson has announced a series of proposals which could see shops charge as much as 15p for a bag.
If agreed, Wales would lead the UK on dealing with cutting plastic bag use.If agreed, Wales would lead the UK on dealing with cutting plastic bag use.
The BBC's Wyre Davies says the move will be welcomed by environmentalists, but is likely to be criticised by plastics and packaging manufacturers.The BBC's Wyre Davies says the move will be welcomed by environmentalists, but is likely to be criticised by plastics and packaging manufacturers.
He says they fear hundreds of jobs would be lost in their industry and want more emphasis placed on encouraging people to re-use their plastic bags instead.He says they fear hundreds of jobs would be lost in their industry and want more emphasis placed on encouraging people to re-use their plastic bags instead.
PLASTIC BAG FACTS UK consumers took home about 9.9bn carrier bags in 2008, equivalent to 400 bags per householdWales used around 480 million bags last yearPlastic bags account for 2.7% of litter by weight (Keep Wales Tidy survey figures)Removing this specific litter costs about £1m annually. All litter removal costs Wales £37m a yearPlastic bags account for 2.1% of all litter found on beaches Source: Welsh Assembly GovernmentPLASTIC BAG FACTS UK consumers took home about 9.9bn carrier bags in 2008, equivalent to 400 bags per householdWales used around 480 million bags last yearPlastic bags account for 2.7% of litter by weight (Keep Wales Tidy survey figures)Removing this specific litter costs about £1m annually. All litter removal costs Wales £37m a yearPlastic bags account for 2.1% of all litter found on beaches Source: Welsh Assembly Government
An estimated 480 million carrier bags are used in Wales each year and it takes between 500 and 1,000 years for them to degrade.An estimated 480 million carrier bags are used in Wales each year and it takes between 500 and 1,000 years for them to degrade.
In February, the Welsh Assembly Government became the first administration in the UK to start work on legislation to end the use of free single use plastic bags. In February, the Welsh Assembly Government became the first administration in the UK to start work on legislation to end the use of free single-use plastic bags.
Last month, a bilingual campaign called Get Carried Away was launched to get people in Wales to reduce the number of plastic bags which are used just once. Last month, a bilingual campaign called Get Carried Away was launched to encourage people in Wales to reduce the number of plastic bags which are used just once.
At the time, Ms Davidson said: "As a minister I have always stated that I do not support the use of one-trip plastic bags.At the time, Ms Davidson said: "As a minister I have always stated that I do not support the use of one-trip plastic bags.
"I have asked my department to develop legislation to end the use of single-use carrier bags.""I have asked my department to develop legislation to end the use of single-use carrier bags."