Skip to main content
Sister Publication Links
  • Plastics News
Subscribe
  • Newsletters
  • Login
  • SUBSCRIBE
  • News
    • Recycling
    • Sustainability
    • Bioplastics
    • Technology & Materials
    • Injection Moulding
    • Blow Moulding
    • Extrusion
    • Thermoforming
    • 3D printing
    • Technology
    • Materials
    • Machinery
  • Opinion
    • View Point
  • Events
    • Our Exhibitions
    • Plastics Industry Awards (PIA)
    • Ask the Expert
    • Reifenhäuser Technologies Livestreams
    • Plastics News Europe Live Archives
    • Sustainable Plastics Live
    • Reuters Responsible Business Europe 2022
    • Plastics Recycling Show Europe
  • Prices & Resources
    • Polymer Prices
    • Data Reports
    • Sponsored Content
    • White Papers
  • Contact
    • Advertise
    • Media Pack
  • Subscribe
  • Digital magazine
    • Digital Magazine
  • Multimedia
MENU
Breadcrumb
  1. Home
  2. News
August 20, 2012 07:00 AM

Anti-bag campaign dismissed as cynical ‘greenwash'

Anthony Clark
  • Tweet
  • Share
  • Share
  • Email
  • More
    Print

    The Carrier Bag Consortium (CBC) and the Packaging and Films Association (Pafa) have attacked an anti-bag campaign for its “unfounded” environmental claims.

    The industry bodies say that the ‘Break the Bag Habit' campaign, backed by Keep Britain Tidy, the Marine Conservation Society and the Council for the Protection of Rural England, is a cynical ploy aimed at justifying a bag tax which would generate funds to fill a hole in charity income left by reduced Government grants and falling public donations.

    The four organisations that formed ‘Break the Bag Habit' have calling on Westminster to reduce litter and waste by requiring retailers to introduce a small charge on all single-use bags. In response the CBC and Pafa have written to all UK MPs and major UK retailers pointing out the flaws in the latest campaign and urging them to stick to the voluntary code of practice.

    “The rigorous Environment Agency Life Cycle Analysis (SC 030148) clearly demonstrates that alternatives to the lightweight plastic bag require far more of the earth's precious resources to produce and have far higher impacts across a life cycle. We believe this new campaign is a blatant misrepresentation of the facts contained in this report and by targeting carrier bags diverts attention and resources from the macro- environmental issues we face,” the two industry bodies say in their joint letter.

    “We are particularly surprised at the about turn from Keep Britain Tidy whose statistical surveys have constantly reinforced the insignificant impacts of carrier bags on the environment,” said Barry Turner Pafa CEO. “Why is Keep Britain Tidy targeting carrier bags when surveys show they represent just 0.03% of littered items in our environment?”

    Paul Marmot, chairman of the CBC, also condemned the ‘Break the Bag Habit' campaign. “Good environmental practice is about reducing impacts, reusing resources and recycling at the end of life.

    “The plastic carrier bag offers all of these routes to becoming the most environmentally acceptable solution for carrying goods home because it has the lowest impacts in production and transportation, is re-used by around 80% of households and can easily be recycled using more than 5,000 collection points at our supermarkets” he said.

    Newsletters
    EMAIL ADDRESS

    Please enter a valid email address.

    Please enter your email address.

    Please verify captcha.

    Please select at least one newsletter to subscribe.

    Get our newsletters

    Staying current is easy with Sustainable Plastics' news delivered straight to your inbox, free of charge.

    SUBSCRIBE
    Sustainable Plastics Media Kit Cover

    Subscriptions to Sustainable Plastics, the leading Pan-European magazine for the circular plastics industry.

    Subscribe now
    Connect with Us
    • LinkedIn
    • Twitter

    "In a changing world, Sustainable Plastics is a constant: a platform the plastics industry can rely on to deliver the news and knowhow impacting the industry going forward”

    Contact Us

    11 Ironmonger Lane, EC2V 8EY
    United Kingdom 
     

    Customer Service:
    1-313-446-0450

    [email protected]

     

    Resources
    • Advertise
    • Sitemap
    • Careers
    • Subscribe
    Affiliates
    • Plastics News
    • LSR World
    • Urethanes Technology
    • Tire Business
    • Rubber News
    • Automotive News
    • Automotive News Europe
    • Crain Publications
    Legal
    • Terms and Conditions
    • Privacy Policy
    • Privacy Request
    Copyright © 1996-2022. Crain Communications, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
    • News
      • Recycling
      • Sustainability
      • Bioplastics
      • Technology & Materials
        • Injection Moulding
        • Blow Moulding
        • Extrusion
        • Thermoforming
        • 3D printing
        • Technology
        • Materials
        • Machinery
    • Opinion
      • View Point
    • Events
      • Our Exhibitions
        • Plastics Recycling Show Europe
      • Plastics Industry Awards (PIA)
      • Ask the Expert
      • Reifenhäuser Technologies Livestreams
      • Plastics News Europe Live Archives
      • Sustainable Plastics Live
      • Reuters Responsible Business Europe 2022
    • Prices & Resources
      • Polymer Prices
      • Data Reports
      • Sponsored Content
      • White Papers
    • Contact
      • Advertise
      • Media Pack
    • Subscribe
    • Digital magazine
      • Digital Magazine
    • Multimedia