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By GILES BROWN - The Press | Monday, 14 January 2008

http://www.stuff.co.nz/4354751a13.html 

The New Zealand Retailers Association says it would oppose any moves to ban plastic bags.

It was reacting to news of a plastic bag ban in China and similar plans in Australia.

Association chief executive John Albertson said he thought an outright ban could be counter-productive.

"A lot of people use the shopping bags as re-usable bin-bags," he said.

"If we ban the supermarket or general store from using them then people will buy refuse bags for lining their bins. Generally these are of a higher grade and less biodegradable."

Albertson pointed out many members of the retail industry were taking part in the New Zealand Packaging Accord -- a drive to reduce the amount of packaging used in the industry.

"My understanding is that reducing them has been quite successful," Albertson said.

"Our view is that if you can keep them under control and reduce their numbers without throwing them out that would be the best thing."

The association is recommending people buy the long-life bags as an alternative but some plastic bags are still available.

Albertson denied the association was opposing a ban because of the inconvenience it would cause to retailers.

Last week China announced a ban on free plastic bags would begin in June.

Australian Federal Environment Minister Peter Garrett has said he wants to phase out plastic bags within the year.

Christchurch City Council has been using a method of recycling bags into plastic planks since 2004 and collects them in its green recycling bins.

Green Party leader Jeanette Fitzsimons said she was not in favour of an all-out ban and would support compulsory payment for bags.

"I don't think plastic bags are the most important issue that Peter Garrett could have chosen to deal with," she said.

"The main problem they cause is to wildlife where they are swallowed by marine animals and bloat in their gut.

"They are quite a problem as litter, but just because they look bad does not mean they are as harmful as something that is a pollutant."

She said New Zealand should follow the lead of Ireland and make people pay "heavily" for them.

"We would like to see a polluter-pays approach," she said.

New Zealanders are estimated to use a billion plastic bags a year.

Alan Malcolmson, South Island general manager of retail operations for Foodstuffs, which owns supermarket Pak 'n' Save, said it had seen a reduction in plastic bag use.

The supermarket has been encouraging people to buy re-usable bags.

This was part of the Packaging Accord.

"We have had a 24 per cent reduction in bag numbers in 2004-05, with a 25% increase in the sale of re-usable bags we sell in store.

"We can make progress in bag reduction on our own without the need for any legislation or taxation," he said.