2017-01-16 GC - Attachment 1 to Item 8 - Plastic Bag Discussion Paper

Developing a Queensland Government response
Queensland policy context                                                  Feedback from consultation to date
In 2015, the Queensland Government committed to investigate                Feedback from discussions at these forums indicated that
possible restrictions on single-use plastic bags. Single-use plastic       consistency with other states is extremely important to industry.
bags represent the most obvious packaging item that needs to be            Additional feedback indicated that:
addressed and the item where the options to restrict use are known
and demonstrable.                                                          »» The retail sector prefers voluntary measures, but agrees that
                                                                              any government regulation should be consistent with other
Beverage containers are another highly littered item, and are                 jurisdictions and apply to all retailers who distribute single-use,
increasingly made of plastic. The Queensland Government is                    lightweight plastic shopping bags.
introducing a container deposit scheme, in order to prevent littering
and improve recycling rates.                                               »» If regulation is introduced, the retail sector favours a ban on the
                                                                              supply of lightweight plastic bags, rather than a charge.
These two initiatives are part of an overall plastic pollution reduction
plan for Queensland aimed at reducing the amount of plastic                »» There is no support for exempting degradable or biodegradable
entering the environment.                                                     bags from a ban, due to concerns over their environmental impact.
It is acknowledged that plastic is a bigger issue than bags and            »» There is consensus in the environment sector for measures to
bottles and that the end-of-life management of other problematic              also restrict the use of other plastic bags, principally heavier-
plastic items will need to be investigated in the future; however             weight department store bags.
action on these two issues provides a starting place for future work.      »» All stakeholders agreed on the need for an effective
Marine debris is recognised as a threat to the Great Barrier Reef in          communication and education program to support any
the Reef 2050 Long-Term Sustainability Plan. The Great Barrier Reef           regulation, and a lengthy transition period to allow the retail
Marine Park Authority five-yearly Outlook Report identifies land-             sector and consumers to make preparations.
based run-off, including marine debris, as one of the four highest
risks to the Reef’s ecosystem. Based on these findings, the Reef 2050      The way forward for Queensland
Long-Term Sustainability Plan notes that marine debris continues to
affect the Reef, including species of conservation concern.                Based on the preliminary consultation and the feedback received to
                                                                           date, a lightweight plastic bag charge is not being considered. The
                                                                           Queensland Government’s preferred approach is to:
Preliminary consultation on options                                        »» ban the supply of single-use, lightweight plastic bags (with no
for Queensland                                                                exemption for biodegradable bags), and
The Queensland Government convened a plastic bag stakeholder               »» work with retailers on voluntary actions to reduce the use of
workshop in October 2015 in Brisbane. The workshop involved                   heavier-weight department store bags.
representatives from the business and retail, resource recovery,
                                                                           The main advantages of a ban are ease of administration, simplicity
environmental and local government sectors.
                                                                           for retailers and customers, certainty of environmental outcome
Workshop participants were asked to provide feedback on three              (including over time), and consistency with other jurisdictions that
options to improve the management of plastic bags:                         have implemented bag bans.
»» voluntary reduction measures                                            International and national experience indicates that in banning
»» banning plastic bags                                                    plastic bags consideration needs to be given to:

»» requiring a charge for plastic bags.                                    »» Clear description of the banned bags including specification of
                                                                              thickness and material.
The three broad options considered by workshop participants, and
                                                                           »» Exemptions from the ban, such as for biodegradable bags.
the advantages and disadvantages of each, are summarised at
Appendix 1. More information on the consultation to date can be            »» Suitable alternatives to replace the banned bags.
found on the Department of Environment and Heritage Protection             »» Type of retailers the ban applies to (e.g. large supermarkets
website at www.ehp.qld.gov.au/waste.                                          only, or all retail outlets including convenience stores, take-away
Following the workshop, bilateral meetings were held with key                 restaurants, and non-grocery retailers such as chemists).
stakeholders and written submissions on the options for managing           »» The use of complementary reduction measures for thicker bags
plastic bags were received from workshop participants.                        or bags made out of other materials.
In February 2016, Queensland also co-hosted a Plastic Bag                  »» Careful planning, and extensive education and awareness
Roundtable with the New South Wales Government.                               campaigns to assist retailers and consumers prepare for the
                                                                              transition to the ban regime.




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