School Children Helped to Ban the Plastic Bag in QLD and Your State Could Be Next

Queensland is the latest state to join the charge in limiting plastic bag usage.

From July 1 next year, Queenslanders won’t be able to use plastic bags after state laws were passed overnight. Retailers who do hand them out after this time can be fined up to $3,000.

Steven Miles, QLD's Environment Minister, said that school children were some of the state's biggest advocates.

"I get letters every day from school kids around the state," Miles said. "An estimated 2.4 billion beverage containers and 1 billion lightweight plastic shopping bags are used in Queensland every year… these are ending up in our waterways and killing and maiming our native animals."

Miles explained that by passing the bill, the government is telling the Queensland youth that the environment is valued.

"We say that we want our parks, our waterways, Moreton Bay and the Great Barrier Reef to be litter free," Miles said. 

Queensland is also introducing a container refund scheme that will see people given an amount of money (10 cents) for returning used containers.

South Australia banned plastic bags in supermarkets in 2009 while ACT, Northern Territory and Tasmania banned them in 2010, 2011 and 2012 respectively. Supermarkets in New South Wales such as Harris Farm, Coles and Woolworths have all committed to banning plastic bags from their stores by 2018 but there has yet to be a commitment by the state government.

Meanwhile in Perth, a Council review of how a plastic bag ban would affect shoppers was undertaken in June and looks likely to signal the end of the bag in the city. Victoria wants a national ban but also hasn't ruled out doing it themselves if that doesn't happen soon. 

It's looking like plastic bags will soon become extinct (with any luck and political backing).

In the states and territories that have already banned the bag, a more durable bag or the multi-use "green" bag has replaced the single-use plastic bags.

Photo: iStock.com/Lengar79