7:33am Sunday 16th March 2008
By Andrew Napier
THEY been called urban tumbleweed, white pollution and even witches' knickers. Plastic bags are now environmental enemy number one.
Forget 4x4s that guzzle the petrol that contributes so much to global warming. Forget road-building that destroys wildlife habitat. Forget chemical pollution that kills water life.
In the last six months the most important green issue has been carrier bags - the "plastic poison".
The hysteria against them has spiralled so much that a shop girl's polite request of "Would you like a plastic bag, sir?" is now met with reddened faces and mumbled, guilt-laden agreement.
The bag issue has climbed up the agenda since Modbury in Devon was the first to ban such bags last spring. Critics say it is tokenism and that issues such as fuel and energy consumption are more important.
The Chancellor of the Exchequer Alistair Darling has leapt into action to warn this week in the Budget of anti-plastic bag legislation in 2009 if the use of supermarket bags does not fall.
B&Q is stopping giving free bags at its 320 stores. Marks & Spencer is to start charging and others are expected to follow. All are investigating using bags made of biodegradable or vegetable-based material.
Local businesses big and small are considering how they can adapt. Alresford led the way last summer to introduce an eco-friendly bag for life.
But Hampshire Farmers' Markets look set to bin the idea of banning the use of plastic bags after struggling with the practicalities.
A meeting of stallholders has decided to ditch any ban for the time being.
Chairman David West said the issue was discussed by them on Wednesday night but there was little support for an outright ban. He said: "It is difficult for Hampshire Farmers' Markets to imposes restrictions on what individual traders do."
The meeting recommended instead that signs be placed at the markets stating that customers would not automatically get a bag.
A firm decision will be made at the next board meeting of Hampshire Farmers' Markets in April.
Mr West added: "Stallholders have different requirements. Paper bags would be no good for vegetable producers with heavy fruit and veg in the wet.
"There are issues of cross-contamination. Most meat is pre-packed, but some butchers sell meat in a raw state. It is difficult to insist stallholders charge for carrier bags. We have to try to encourage the public to bring their own."
Market co-ordinator Sarah Read is undertaking research into more environmentally friendly alternatives.
Local authorities have to deal with the issue of plastic bag litter, although in Hampshire such waste is incinerated and use made of the energy created.
A spokesman for Winchester City Council said: "In the grand scheme of things there are a lot of other things to do. But it is a good place to start. We need people to take as many small actions as they can. All the small actions add up."
The trouble is plastic bags have become so ubiquitous since the 1970s because they are so useful.
Banning things can have undesired effects. In Ireland, where plastic bags are heavily taxed, their use has decreased. But people have simply switched to buying other forms of bags for uses such as lining rubbish bins and clearing cat litters.
Andy Steavenson is managing director of Crazybags, the Sarisbury Green plastic bag importer, and a self-described "ogre from hell" in the plastic bag issue. His company imports 15 to 20 million bags a year from China.
"This whole issue is about people needing to find a scapegoat. Everyone in the world has carried a plastic bag. Because they are so popular, the greens have picked on it.
"The product is not harmful. It's not the bag's fault that it ends up in hedges. It's not plastic bags that are killing sea mammals - it's the can holders that are the culprit.
"I do think action against bags is a good thing. But the amount of space given to it is disproportionate to the big picture of global warming."
Mr Steavenson said this year would see major changes. "The supermarkets can't wait to stop giving bags. Think of the money they will save. They only give them out for free because if Tesco don't then Sainsbury's will and vice-versa."
Crazybags does not supply supermarkets but Mr Steavenson said the furore has seen his firm diversifying into importing cotton and jute bags.
He pointed out that the issue is wrapped in hypocrisy. The Daily Mail has led the campaign. "Go to the Ideal Home exhibition in London today and you will be given a Daily Mail plastic carrier bag."
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