Meacher To Move Ahead With Plastic Bag Tax

by Amanda Banks, Tax-News.com, London

21 May 2002

UK Environment Minister, Michael Meacher confirmed on Monday that he is interested in imposing a tax on plastic bags, similar to that introduced in the Republic of Ireland, in order to reduce waste and pollution in the United Kingdom.

There were reports earlier this month that the Minister had expressed an interest in the proposal, and indeed, he met with his Irish counterpart, Noel Dempsey, in order to discuss the scheme.

At the time, the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) refused to confirm that the new tax was a definite option for Britain, but in an interview with the Guardian newspaper on Monday, Mr Meacher confirmed that the plan to introduce a 9p tax on plastic shopping bags has his approval.

'I would be arguing very strongly for putting something through here,' he told the Guardian. 'Obviously you have to talk about it with government, get agreement - but 'it's a cracking good idea.'

The Environment Minister revealed that he has commissioned a report on the success of the Irish tax to be delivered within three months, but predicted that the results are likely to show a large reduction in the amount of litter produced by consumers, the result of a permanent change in shopping behaviour.

According to Monday's report, it has been estimated that British shoppers get through around eight billion bags annually, which breaks down to around 134 bags per person. The vast majority of these are disposed of almost immediately, causing a massive environmental problem.

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