The Australian Parliament may debate a proposed levy on plastic carrier bags in October 2002.
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The proposed legislation would introduce a $A0.25 (US$0.14) levy on plastic shopping bags, except those needed for fresh fish and meat, in an aim to reduce the use of plastic bags. It is thought that Australian Environment Minister David Kemp is not against the levy, although the government still has two years left of its five-year industry agreement not to introduce a plastic bag levy.
A similar levy introduced in Ireland to reduce the large number of non-biodegradable plastic bags ending up in landfill sites, was found to significantly decrease the number of new bags used.
