£0.05 Carrier Bag Charge To Save The Polar Bears

[shull]

Starting today ...........

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-29688191

[bluto]

f**k'em!

[saintnextlifetime]

I concur with bluto. .

[shull]

I've got a decent amount of Tesco carrier bags in the house.

I'll leave some in my car.

They can be used for carrying my goods home from Asda & Morrisons.

[saint in exile]

It's a brilliant idea. They should have done it years ago. And it should be 20p a bag.

[FS]

It'll be interesting to see the various effects of this, I predict an increase in shoplifting for starters, folk walking out of shops with stuff unbagged saying they've paid for it but didnae need a bag. The other thing I've noted so far, is that the tax was supposed to cut down on the use of plastic/poly bags and other non-degradable types going into landfill sites, so it's interesting that the places already doing paper type bags, like McDonalds and Primark are also charging 5p per bag under the pretence that it's now an anti-litter charge. Right, so what about all the litter from unnecessary packaging and other shite we don't actually need.

[bluto]

As long as our governments want to keep opening new airports or expanding existing airports, then I will be reassured that cutting down on carrier bags is an irrelevancy.

[Bud the Baker]

Small step in the right direction but as bluto says above as long as it is an isolated step it'll make very little difference.

Having said that I got my three free bags for life from a well known supermarket yesterday - every little helps!

[chalky1]

It'll be interesting to see the various effects of this, I predict an increase in shoplifting for starters, folk walking out of shops with stuff unbagged saying they've paid for it but didnae need a bag. The other thing I've noted so far, is that the tax was supposed to cut down on the use of plastic/poly bags and other non-degradable types going into landfill sites, so it's interesting that the places already doing paper type bags, like McDonalds and Primark are also charging 5p per bag under the pretence that it's now an anti-litter charge. Right, so what about all the litter from unnecessary packaging and other shite we don't actually need.

Yeah, just purchased a healthy Cheese burger from MacD's only to be told that there was a 5p charge for the bag, wits that aboot?

[FS]

As long as our governments want to keep opening new airports or expanding existing airports, then I will be reassured that cutting down on carrier bags is an irrelevancy.

And it's only happening in Scotland too, it'll make feck all difference. But I'll consider it as I watch all those big aeroplanes flying over from Heathrow at 50,000ft spraying their muck enroute to America.

[saintnextlifetime]

As long as our governments want to keep opening new airports or expanding existing airports, then I will be reassured that cutting down on carrier bags is an irrelevancy.

Also a bit of an irrelevancy that they are now strangling the wattage on the vacuum cleaners we can buy. .

[FS]

The charge does apply to paper bags too.

Yes, that was my point. If everyone offered paper bags at least they would break down naturally in landfill site or more likely go in recycling bins. I remember the likes of Safeway and Finefare in Paisley doing paper shopping bags back in the 70's, so the BS we're fed that it can't ne done now is just that.

[FS]

On the radio this morning that there are similar things on both sides of the Irish border. They also said that Scots use 150 plastic bags each (on average) per year, while in Denmark (the first country to introduce this) they now use 4.

Change them to recycled paper and make a real difference, even offer an incentive to recycle.

[flyingscot]

Change them to recycled paper and make a real difference, even offer an incentive to recycle.

Paper bags by all accounts are worse for the environment than plastic. There is more energy involved in mass-producing, recycling and transporting paper compared to plastic bags.

Paper bags also tear when wet, aren't as strong and rarely get used more than once. Plastic bags tend to get used a couple of times, even if it is just as bin liners.

[bluto]

And it's only happening in Scotland too, it'll make feck all difference. But I'll consider it as I watch all those big aeroplanes flying over from Heathrow at 50,000ft spraying their muck enroute to America.

To be fair, I felt a teensiest bit guilty on Saturday, as I flew above you, south from Sneckie to the free-bag capital of the UK.

Also.... Here's a wee bit of blue touch-paper that I've just lit....

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/81d96998-3aa0-11e4-bd08-00144feabdc0.html#axzz3GgHq6JUA

Edited October 20, 2014 by bluto

[oaksoft]

Blimey we have a load of whiners in here today.

The evidence that this cuts down pollution is irrefutable and comes from every country which has brought this measure into law.

I love the ideas above that insinuate that we shouldn't do this because it won't simultaneously cure all our pollution problems, our carbon dioxide emission problems or cancer.

It's a good thing. Period.

[FS]

Paper bags by all accounts are worse for the environment than plastic. There is more energy involved in mass-producing, recycling and transporting paper compared to plastic bags.

Paper bags also tear when wet, aren't as strong and rarely get used more than once. Plastic bags tend to get used a couple of times, even if it is just as bin liners.

Oh well, I see a sudden resurgence of the granny tartan shopping trolley in that case.

[HSS]

I remember the likes of Safeway and Finefare in Paisley doing paper shopping bags back in the 70's, so the BS we're fed that it can't ne done now is just that.

I remember when supermarkets would empty all the cardboard boxes of goods then make the empty boxes available for filling up with your shopping.

Do supermarkets now get paid for their old cardboard to be picked up?

[bluto]

I remember when supermarkets would empty all the cardboard boxes of goods then make the empty boxes available for filling up with your shopping.

Do supermarkets now get paid for their old cardboard to be picked up?

Down here, the boxes are still available.

[flyingscot]

I remember when supermarkets would empty all the cardboard boxes of goods then make the empty boxes available for filling up with your shopping.

Do supermarkets now get paid for their old cardboard to be picked up?

You still get that- Sainsbury's in Braehead does.

My previous employer had a recycling centre. You do get paid for cardboard, but it is not a huge sum. We used to have a skip to chuck it in, but that wasn't economic and they bought a machine to make it into bales of cardboard as that made it cheaper to transport and more valuable. Glass and metal were the other things we got recycled and we had a wood burner for energy.

[Stuart Dickson]

It's a ridiculous policy poorly thought through.

Over the course of the weekend Asda were issuing free plastic "Bags For Life". That's fair enough, however after doing my shopping I had a look at the products that I had bought and it was evident that the plastic bag itself is the least of the problems there. Far more bulky and more problematic to dispose of was the packaging on the products themselves. For example I had bought some grapes - they came in what now appears to be a standard plastic box container wrapped in a plastic bag. Bacon came in a plastic container. Milk, in a plastic bottle. The Pepsi I bought came in plastic bottles. Tea bags in a cardboard box, then covered in a plastic wrap. Eggs in a plastic box. Even my coffee - bought in a supposedly eco friendly refill package was wrapped in plastic.

Last week I was in St Tropez. There they have brought in a similar policy regarding plastic bags. Their supermakets issue better quality bags than we are used to - kind of like our Bags For Life. However there you pay your fee, which was 20c per bag, but if you return the bag to be reused by someone else you have the fee refunded. This is clearly a far more sensible and far fairer way to operate a chargeable plastic bag policy.

Thirdly, on Thursday I had a chat with a lady who owns a small private grocer shop in Penicuik. She had been doing a bit of council bashing with the customer who was in front of me in the queue and she continued the conversation with me referencing the new plastic bag policy. She told me that she is to be invoiced every month by Midlothian Council for the number of plastic bags that she has sold. However she's had nothing through from the council to explain how this is supposed to work and when she phoned them for advice she was told that regardless of the number of bags she issues the council will be sending her a bill based on the number of bags it guesses that a business of her size would issue. The council have explained that it would take too many man hours to work out real figures for each shop. The shop keeper clearly doesn't know if this will be in her favour or not, but she feels that the local authority will most likely over estimate and with no means for her to appeal any over charge she feels that this will simply put more pressure on her small business. Now I wasn't aware that local authorities were going to be doing this. Asda claimed that their profits from plastic bags would be donated to local charities and I had assumed that it would land up another profit making venture for business, but if local authorities are claiming their cut regardless of how successful a retailer is in reducing the number of bags issued then surely that defeats any "green" advantage there is to the policy.

Fourthly, I use online shopping for my groceries most weeks and have done so for more than a year. I use Tesco more often than not. Every single shop I've done I have requested no plastic bags in order to gain a few extra Clubcard points, however Tesco use a system of colour coded plastic bags to indicate to the delivery driver short dated products and replacement products in any order. I was told that Tesco have said they won't be changing this policy any time soon, and I was told by my regular delivery driver that if I didn't request plastic bags I wouldn't be charged the standard 35p Tesco are putting on online orders. All of this defeats the purpose.

And finally in North Lanarkshire our council issue free plastic bags to every resident on demand for us to use for our food waste. It's quite clear that all that will happen is that residents in North Lanarkshire will stop using supermarket bags as their bin bags, and they will instead use council issued plastic bags for disposing of all waste.

[beyond our ken]

Yeah, just purchased a healthy Cheese burger from MacD's only to be told that there was a 5p charge for the bag, wits that aboot?

Apparently, takeaway food should be exempted

Are they charging extra for the big mac or happy meal boxes?

i did notice i was not offered a paper bag as usual with my friday fish supper. Maybe they will start charging for the paper tray or else load the chips straight into my hands

[beyond our ken]

It's a ridiculous policy poorly thought through.

Over the course of the weekend Asda were issuing free plastic "Bags For Life". That's fair enough, however after doing my shopping I had a look at the products that I had bought and it was evident that the plastic bag itself is the least of the problems there. Far more bulky and more problematic to dispose of was the packaging on the products themselves. For example I had bought some grapes Aye-Right! - they came in what now appears to be a standard plastic box container wrapped in a plastic bag. Bacon came in a plastic container Disgusting-You shouldn't have brought mister bacon with you. Milk, in a plastic bottle. The Pepsi I bought came in plastic bottles. Tea bags in a cardboard box, then covered in a plastic wrap. Eggs in a plastic box. Even my coffee - bought in a supposedly eco friendly refill package was wrapped in plastic.

Last week I was in St Tropez Those tanning salons are very bad for you. There they have brought in a similar policy regarding plastic bags. Their supermakets issue better quality bags than we are used to - kind of like our Bags For Life. However there you pay your fee, which was 20c per bag, but if you return the bag to be reused by someone else you have the fee refunded. This is clearly a far more sensible and far fairer way to operate a chargeable plastic bag policy.

Thirdly, on Thursday I had a chat with a lady who owns a small private grocer shop in Penicuik. She had been doing a bit of council bashing with the customer who was in front of me in the queue and she continued the conversation with me referencing the new plastic bag policy. She told me that she is to be invoiced every month by Midlothian Council for the number of plastic bags that she has sold. However she's had nothing through from the council to explain how this is supposed to work and when she phoned them for advice she was told that regardless of the number of bags she issues the council will be sending her a bill based on the number of bags it guesses that a business of her size would issue. The council have explained that it would take too many man hours to work out real figures for each shop. The shop keeper clearly doesn't know if this will be in her favour or not, but she feels that the local authority will most likely over estimate and with no means for her to appeal any over charge she feels that this will simply put more pressure on her small business. Now I wasn't aware that local authorities were going to be doing this. Asda claimed that their profits from plastic bags would be donated to local charities and I had assumed that it would land up another profit making venture for business, but if local authorities are claiming their cut regardless of how successful a retailer is in reducing the number of bags issued then surely that defeats any "green" advantage there is to the policy.

Fourthly, I use online shopping for my groceries most weeks and have done so for more than a year. Is this only since you left the marital home-or did you always get your goodies online? I use Tesco more often than not. Every single shop I've done I have requested no plastic bags in order to gain a few extra Clubcard points, however Tesco use a system of colour coded plastic bags to indicate to the delivery driver short dated products and replacement products in any order. I was told that Tesco have said they won't be changing this policy any time soon, and I was told by my regular delivery driver that if I didn't request plastic bags I wouldn't be charged the standard 35p Tesco are putting on online orders. All of this defeats the purpose.

And finally in North Lanarkshire our council issue free plastic bags to every resident on demand for us to use for our food waste. It's quite clear that all that will happen is that residents in North Lanarkshire will stop using supermarket bags as their bin bags, and they will instead use council issued plastic bags for disposing of all waste.

[saint in exile]

It's a ridiculous policy poorly thought through.

Over the course of the weekend Asda were issuing free plastic "Bags For Life". That's fair enough, however after doing my shopping I had a look at the products that I had bought and it was evident that the plastic bag itself is the least of the problems there. Far more bulky and more problematic to dispose of was the packaging on the products themselves. For example I had bought some grapes - they came in what now appears to be a standard plastic box container wrapped in a plastic bag. Bacon came in a plastic container. Milk, in a plastic bottle. The Pepsi I bought came in plastic bottles. Tea bags in a cardboard box, then covered in a plastic wrap. Eggs in a plastic box. Even my coffee - bought in a supposedly eco friendly refill package was wrapped in plastic.

Last week I was in St Tropez. There they have brought in a similar policy regarding plastic bags. Their supermakets issue better quality bags than we are used to - kind of like our Bags For Life. However there you pay your fee, which was 20c per bag, but if you return the bag to be reused by someone else you have the fee refunded. This is clearly a far more sensible and far fairer way to operate a chargeable plastic bag policy.

Thirdly, on Thursday I had a chat with a lady who owns a small private grocer shop in Penicuik. She had been doing a bit of council bashing with the customer who was in front of me in the queue and she continued the conversation with me referencing the new plastic bag policy. She told me that she is to be invoiced every month by Midlothian Council for the number of plastic bags that she has sold. However she's had nothing through from the council to explain how this is supposed to work and when she phoned them for advice she was told that regardless of the number of bags she issues the council will be sending her a bill based on the number of bags it guesses that a business of her size would issue. The council have explained that it would take too many man hours to work out real figures for each shop. The shop keeper clearly doesn't know if this will be in her favour or not, but she feels that the local authority will most likely over estimate and with no means for her to appeal any over charge she feels that this will simply put more pressure on her small business. Now I wasn't aware that local authorities were going to be doing this. Asda claimed that their profits from plastic bags would be donated to local charities and I had assumed that it would land up another profit making venture for business, but if local authorities are claiming their cut regardless of how successful a retailer is in reducing the number of bags issued then surely that defeats any "green" advantage there is to the policy.

Fourthly, I use online shopping for my groceries most weeks and have done so for more than a year. I use Tesco more often than not. Every single shop I've done I have requested no plastic bags in order to gain a few extra Clubcard points, however Tesco use a system of colour coded plastic bags to indicate to the delivery driver short dated products and replacement products in any order. I was told that Tesco have said they won't be changing this policy any time soon, and I was told by my regular delivery driver that if I didn't request plastic bags I wouldn't be charged the standard 35p Tesco are putting on online orders. All of this defeats the purpose.

And finally in North Lanarkshire our council issue free plastic bags to every resident on demand for us to use for our food waste. It's quite clear that all that will happen is that residents in North Lanarkshire will stop using supermarket bags as their bin bags, and they will instead use council issued plastic bags for disposing of all waste.

Most people recycle the 'packaging' that food, etc, comes in, unlike plastic bags which mostly get chucked in the bin.

The bags supplied for food waste are usually biodegradable.

Th policy has been in place over here for a few years now, and it works, despite all the claims of impending Armageddom if it was brought in.

[Stuart Dickson]

You're just making shit up again. Look here. Especially the section "How should you spend the money raised?".

You just make all these folk up, don't you? Is it so that when you are found to be lying (as usual) you can blame it on someone else?

Now that you've been found to be lying about one part, I'll just assume that the rest is lies too - even the bit that is obviously true.

I said it was the first I'd heard of it, but I certainly wasn't making it up. The shop in question is in Eastfield Drive, Penicuik next to the Micro something shop which has a big satellite dish in the window.