Countdown for London plastic bag debate

London Councils launched the consultation last month to give residents of London the opportunity to tell them what they think of one of the key provisions that will make up the 10th London Local Authorities Bill (LLAB).

Councillor Sean Brennan, London Councils' executive member for Sustainability said:
“London, along with the rest of the world’s major cities, will play a major role in how we rise to the challenge of climate change, and Londoners are evidently keen to step up to the mark and give their views on how we do this. I would urge everyone to seize this opportunity to help shape London’s environmental future.”

The consultation asks the public its views on a range of options – from doing nothing, to an outright ban on all throw away shopping bags -or just for plastic ones.

UK shoppers receive over 13 billion bags every year which is roughly 220 per person every year. According to London Councils,  Londoners use at least 1.6 billion bags per year. However this figure does not take into account tourists.

While some of these bags will be re-used once or twice, official figures reveal that only one in 200 of these are recycled, meaning that billions of shopping bags are sent to landfill every year. Many of these will be plastic bags that can take over 400 years to break down.

The consultation will run until Friday 26 October. Londoners who wish to take part should visit www.londoncouncils.gov.uk/thebigquestion