Ban on lightweight plastic bags in Queensland

Eligibility - Queensland residents
Principal Petitioner:
Katherine Larson
49 Geoffrey Thomas Drive
TANNUM SANDS QLD 4680
Total Signatures - 530
Sponsoring Member: Liz Cunningham MP
Posting Date: 14/6/2012
Closing Date: 28/11/2012
Tabled Date: 29/11/2012
Responded By: Hon Andrew Powell MP on 17/12/2012
TO: The Honourable the Speaker and Members of the Legislative Assembly of Queensland

Queensland residents draws to the attention of the House that Australians use approximately 4 billion lightweight plastic bags every year. Vast amounts of fossil fuel are required to produce these bags, a process which adds to greenhouse emissions.  Plastic refuse is a major threat to our land, waterways and ocean environments.  Plastic takes hundreds of years to break down and has the potential to end up in the marine food chain with devastating consequences. At least 77 species of marine wildlife found in Australian waters are affected by marine litter.  Eliminating single use plastic bags requires negligible infrastructure and will save clean-up costs incurred by local and state governments whilst also allowing significant savings to retailers.  Gladstone City Council must follow the lead of other councils in South Australia, the Northern Territory and the Australian Capital Territory and introduce a ban to reduce waste and environmental degradation as a matter of urgency.

 

Your petitioners, therefore, request the House to introduce legislation for putting a ban on single use light weight plastic bags at retail points of sale in Queensland by the end of 2012.