As NSW only state not to do so
THE State Government should “stop dragging the chain” and ban single-use plastic bags immediately, says Canterbury Bankstown Deputy Mayor Bilal El-Hayek.
He says the bags are “environmental killers” and has called on the State Government to stop “sitting on their hands”.
The council will now write to the Government urging it to ban single-use plastic bags in NSW.
“These bags are killers once they enter our environment,” Cr El-Hayek said “and many of their victims are animals that ingest them and choke, smother or die of malnutrition.
“So it’s much more than the disgusting look they present when littering our parks, creeks and streets, they have serious impacts.”
He said NSW was the only State Government yet to ban the single use plastic bags and earlier this month, it voted against a Bill, put forward by Labor, to ban their use.
“In voting it down, the Minister invited all parties to work with the Government on tackling plastic waste,” he said.
“I don’t disagree with a bipartisan approach to plastic waste. But given the NSW Government has voted down such a Bill in 2016, 2017, 2018 and now in 2019, it begs the question what has the Government been doing about plastic waste?”
Council general manager Mathew Stewart said that while plastic shopping bags litter the environment and harm wildlife, they are “also contributing to the recycling crisis in Australia, as they are the number one item found in household recycling bins – that should not be there”.
NSW Labor Leader Jodi McKay says NSW is now lagging behind every other state and territory across Australia when it comes to banning the bag.
“It’s time for the Premier to show some leadership and work with Labor to clean up our environment and our waterways,” she said.
Last year Canterbury Bankstown became one of only two NSW councils to get behind the world-wide push to eliminate single use plastics, phasing out single-use plastics, including straws and cups, from its facilities and events.