Australian states and retail chains prohibit single-use plastic bags: NPR

Australian retail chains, including Woolworths, remove single-use plastic bags from their stores.

Jill Gralow / Reuters

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Jill Gralow / Reuters

Australian retail chains, including Woolworths, remove single-use plastic bags from their stores.

Jill Gralow / Reuters

To reduce the waste of single-use plastic bags, some of Australia's largest retailers prohibit them.

And while environmental groups and many buyers applaud, the implementation of change has sometimes been tense.

A furious man not to receive a free plastic bag apparently placed his hands around the throat of a Woolworths employee, according to The West Australian.

The Australian states Queensland and Western Australia, and the chains Coles and Big W distribution chains impose new restrictions on these bags as of the 1st July. On June 20, Woolworths said it had removed its single-use plastic bags from its stores. The states of Tasmania and South Australia have already banned this type of plastic bag

This means that at the present time, 'the leading retailers of all but two Australian states will be sanctioned they provide one-time plastic bags. " Reuters reported.

Reported abuses at market funds prompted the SDA, a union representing retail workers, to launch a campaign called "Do not Bag Retail Staff".

The union has published an advertisement showing a man reprimanding an employee of a store, asking him why he can not have any free bag. They are approached by two people dressed like a turtle and a fish. "I think you know why, buddy," said the turtle, looking disgusted.

"While we understand that some customers may be frustrated by this change, there is absolutely no excuse The SDA National Secretary, Gerard Dwyer, said in a release: "The union conducted a survey earlier this week and among the 132 members who responded, 57 said they had been abused because of the ban on plastic bags. , "according to Reuters.

Reuters reported that Woolworths will offer free reusable bags to customers until July 8 in response to tensions." They just want a little more help from us to get through the transition, "said Claire Peters, general manager of Woolworths, in a statement to the press service.

Coles, one of the retailers that has set up a ban is committed to "halve the food waste in its supermarkets by 2020".

According to the UN, "up to 5 trillion bags Disposable plastics are used worldwide each year. "And, the amount of plastic waste produced globally each year is" almost equivalent to the weight of the entire human population. "

The growing ban in Australia makes part d & # 3 9, a global change.As reported by the BBC, "about 40 [countries] banned the use of single-use plastic bags, with accusations or categorical prohibitions in China, Bangladesh and in some fifteen African countries. "