5p Plastic Bag Charge

[slipstream 1985]

BrownBottle said:

I bought a couple of the canvas bags at the supermarket, they're actually a pleasure to use compared to plastic bags, however..

I have always reused my bags as bin bags so I will now need to buy the same amount as bin bags now anyway.

I think the law applying to food outlets is unfair as you are hardly going to take your canvas bags to the local Chinese or Mcdonalds and get them contaminated with sauce, grease etc.

What about all the fancy packaging some of the products you buy in the shops comes in? a lot of it can be unnecessary and more to do with presentation, why is the humble bag that carries all this stuff getting targeted?

Youd have supermarkets reclassing themselves as a foo restraunt jut to get out of it. 1 rule for all works best imo

[Martin_M]

My wife insisted on taking our McDonalds order away in a bag for life today! I did note from the leaflets on the counter however, that McDonalds will donate all funds raised from bags to their charity which was good to see.

[16plates]

I'm spending a bit of time in Germany with work just now and charging for bags is the norm here. Certainly in supermarkets, butchers, bakers, pharmacies etc... not so sure about clothes shops and the like but most outlets charge for bags.

In fact... i'd guesstimate only 2 in 10 people will pay for bags at the till, the rest bring their own hessien style shopping bag or have a rucksack on their back or carry the items when possible.

No problem taking my own bags to the supermarket, i'd be inconvenienced doing the same at McD's etc though.

[SrMoreno]

Martin_M said:

My wife insisted on taking our McDonalds order away in a bag for life today! I did note from the leaflets on the counter however, that McDonalds will donate all funds raised from bags to their charity which was good to see.

That's the law. The shop/takeaway is obliged to put all the bag money to charity. I have no idea how this can be enforced, though.

[Halmyre]

SrMoreno said:

Martin_M said:

My wife insisted on taking our McDonalds order away in a bag for life today! I did note from the leaflets on the counter however, that McDonalds will donate all funds raised from bags to their charity which was good to see.

That's the law. The shop/takeaway is obliged to put all the bag money to charity. I have no idea how this can be enforced, though.

If a specific charity is named then I think the charity would be keeping tabs on how much it actually gets. Of course they've no way of knowing how many bags were actually sold.

[Viperz888]

SrMoreno said:

That's the law. The shop/takeaway is obliged to put all the bag money to charity. I have no idea how this can be enforced, though.

No, they aren't obliged, they are merely 'encouraged.'

[AmiableChimp]

Get a supply of Asda carrier bags and when you shop in Tesco, put all your stuff in an Asda bag at the till.

Get some Tesco bags and return the favour in your local Asda.

I wonder how that would be received?

[Halmyre]

AmiableChimp said:

Get a supply of Asda carrier bags and when you shop in Tesco, put all your stuff in an Asda bag at the till.

Get some Tesco bags and return the favour in your local Asda.

I wonder how that would be received?

I've got no qualms about using shop A's bags in shop B, or vice versa.

That's assuming I remember to take a sodding bag to the shop in the first place...

[McWigglebum4th]

We have done our bit to save the planet

We have bought thew reusable canvas bags which are now carted around in the car

So some extra carbons making the bags and moving the bags


AND

We have bought a big box of carrier bags from costco for use as bin bags in the kitchen


So total saving in carbons is somewhere between fk all and zilch


Well done SNP

MORONS

[Sko77y]

So far my collection of bags for life is at 8.....always forget to take them with me! arrgh!

[ModernAndy]

I've used a hell of a lot less bags in the last month and don't feel extorted when I do need to pay 5-6p for one (need being a very apposite word) so I can only say this has been a very good thing so far. I think it's something we should have done sooner. Hopefully there will be a noticeable dent in plastic pollution.

[16plates]

ModernAndy said:

I've used a hell of a lot less bags in the last month and don't feel extorted when I do need to pay 5-6p for one (need being a very apposite word) so I can only say this has been a very good thing so far. I think it's something we should have done sooner. Hopefully there will be a noticeable dent in plastic pollution.

How modern of you, Andy.

[Kiltie]

McWigglebum4th said:

We have done our bit to save the planet

We have bought thew reusable canvas bags which are now carted around in the car

So some extra carbons making the bags and moving the bags


AND

We have bought a big box of carrier bags from costco for use as bin bags in the kitchen


So total saving in carbons is somewhere between fk all and zilch


Well done SNP

MORONS

You're very self absorbed.

I'm optimistic that this legislation will mean fewer plastic bags stuck in trees, not so many floating in ponds and rivers and a whole heap less going to landfill.

It also won't affect me one iota. I've had reusable bags for years because it's easy and it's right.

Enough bags also end up in my house from other sources to line my kitchen bin.

Everyone who thinks this is a nanny state type issue apparently forgets the unfortunate fact that the majority of the population aren't so responsible. They're the ones the government have to legislate for.

This has been done for all the right reasons and if it's the most inconvenient thing to happen to you this year then I reckon you're doing pretty well.

[Lugy]

Someone told me the other day, maybe the woman in the bakers, that it was illegal for McDonald's to charge for the bag, something about the chips not coming in a closed container. Any truth in this? I cant seem to find anything saying yes or no on the internet.

If I'm honest I'm a bit annoyed about the 5p charge, a few months back I threw out about 3 years worth of carrier bags collected under the sink. Had I known I could have sold them off outside Tesco at 4p each. I'm not convinced about the litter argument either, most litter I see is polystyrene cups, crisp packets, juice bottles/cans and McDonalds packaging.

[McWigglebum4th]

Kiltie said:

McWigglebum4th said:

We have done our bit to save the planet

We have bought thew reusable canvas bags which are now carted around in the car

So some extra carbons making the bags and moving the bags


AND

We have bought a big box of carrier bags from costco for use as bin bags in the kitchen


So total saving in carbons is somewhere between fk all and zilch


Well done SNP

MORONS

You're very self absorbed.

I'm optimistic that this legislation will mean fewer plastic bags stuck in trees, not so many floating in ponds and rivers and a whole heap less going to landfill.

It also won't affect me one iota. I've had reusable bags for years because it's easy and it's right.

Enough bags also end up in my house from other sources to line my kitchen bin.

Everyone who thinks this is a nanny state type issue apparently forgets the unfortunate fact that the majority of the population aren't so responsible. They're the ones the government have to legislate for.

This has been done for all the right reasons and if it's the most inconvenient thing to happen to you this year then I reckon you're doing pretty well.

http://www.environment.gov.au/archive/settlements/publications/waste/plastic-bags/pubs/analysis.pdf

australian figures

85% of single use bags were reused

2% of litter is plastic bags

So gesture politics from the SNP again

if littering is a problem then instead of charging people who don't drop litter more for plastic bags why don't they go after the people that litter?

[Halmyre]

McWigglebum4th said:

http://www.environment.gov.au/archive/settlements/...

australian figures

85% of single use bags were reused

2% of litter is plastic bags

So gesture politics from the SNP again

if littering is a problem then instead of charging people who don't drop litter more for plastic bags why don't they go after the people that litter?

It would be an easy thing to do. Just pick any McDonalds* drive-through customer at random and follow him, chances are he'll chuck the packaging out the window at some point.

(* other fast-food franchises are available)

[ModernAndy]

McWigglebum4th said:

http://www.environment.gov.au/archive/settlements/...

australian figures

85% of single use bags were reused

2% of litter is plastic bags

So gesture politics from the SNP again

if littering is a problem then instead of charging people who don't drop litter more for plastic bags why don't they go after the people that litter?

2% may seem like a small figure but in real terms it's a hell of a lot. If there's 100 million items of litter in Scotland then 2% is 2 million and prevention will make a noticeable difference.

I don't see any realistic way to suggest that resources aren't being used to tackle people who litter. They put up adverts on TV and buses, they fine people, they jail people for dumping illegally...

[McWigglebum4th]

ModernAndy said:

2% may seem like a small figure but in real terms it's a hell of a lot. If there's 100 million items of litter in Scotland then 2% is 2 million and prevention will make a noticeable difference.

I don't see any realistic way to suggest that resources aren't being used to tackle people who litter. They put up adverts on TV and buses, they fine people, they jail people for dumping illegally...

You assume no one will throw away a bag they have paid 5p for

Also

What percentage of rubbish has McDonalds on the packaging?


Carrier bags are an easy target

[ModernAndy]

McWigglebum4th said:

You assume no one will throw away a bag they have paid 5p for

Also

What percentage of rubbish has McDonalds on the packaging?


Carrier bags are an easy target

No I don't, I assume there will be less plastic bags to throw away. There will always be idiots, the sort of people that don't understand the benefit of leaving a profit wherever they go, the sort of people who we have to legislate against to make this a world worth living in. We already take steps to prevent them from littering, this is just an additional one which also has the benefit of reducing the amount of plastic produced a little.

At least McDonalds use some packaging that's bio-degradable. They have to wrap their food and have cups for drinks, it is a pity some people are inconsiderate enough to turn it into litter though.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=0b5gepfAKek

[Kiltie]

McWigglebum4th said:

http://www.environment.gov.au/archive/settlements/...

australian figures

85% of single use bags were reused

2% of litter is plastic bags

What page are those figures on?

I do see this.



So, 96% of bags go to landfill.

Less stuff going to landfill is a good thing. Isn't it?