Poots criticised for ruling out North plastic bag levy

THE ALLIANCE Party has criticised DUP Environment Minister Edwin Poots after he yesterday ruled out bringing in a plastic bag levy similar to that in the South.

While the Southern levy led to a dramatic reduction in the use of plastic bags, Mr Poots said he was opposed to introducing a levy now because of its effects on the poor.

“For the moment I prefer to continue to support the voluntary approach to changing our shopping habits rather than impose additional costs during these difficult economic times,” he said.

“Results of the voluntary approach announced in July 2009 showed that supermarkets in Northern Ireland managed to reduce the number of single use carrier bags by 38 per cent – this equates to 7.6 million less bags handed out in Northern Ireland.” Alliance environment spokesman Stewart Dickson, a councillor, said Northern Ireland was “falling behind in the environmental protection stakes”.

“The Republic of Ireland led the way on the plastic bag levy – Wales are now introducing one, yet Northern Ireland is failing again on this issue,” he complained.

It was “not the case at all” that a levy would affect those on low incomes. “A levy would not have an impact of this nature because so many supermarkets already give away free recyclable bags,” he said.

It seemed to be an excuse from the Minister in order not to legislate on the issue, he added.

“You only have to look at hedgerows across Northern Ireland and see plastic bags flapping in the wind to realise the extent of this problem . . . We need to minimise the use of plastic bags and we need to get people to reuse and re-recycle,” Mr Dickson said.