A hub moving towards sustainability at tertiary education campuses including at Dubbo has given its support to a complete phase-out of plastic bags.
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Charles Sturt University CSU Green manager Edward Maher would like to see the NSW government legislate against the use of single-use plastic bags.
Earlier this month Woolworths, Coles and Harris Farm announced they would stop supplying plastic bags to customers from next year.
The move prompted calls from the NSW opposition, environmental groups and some retailers for the NSW government to bring in a statewide ban.
CSU Green is the hub for communication and coordination of the sustainability efforts across the CSU campuses.
Mr Maher has been watching the debate about plastic bags with interest.
“I’d really encourage the NSW government to follow the direction a number of other Australian states and territories have already gone in a complete a phase-out of plastic bags,” he said.
“It’s a very achievable goal that is being achieved right around the world through some simple behaviour changes amongst customers.”
Mr Maher anticipated consumers would be willing to accept a ban.
“I think like any imposed change, there’s some levels of apathy there,” he said.
“At the moment there’s complete convenience available to customers in that they don’t need to give any prior thought or preparation to their weekly or daily shopping activities.
The NSW government is so far not giving ground on the issue.
Addressing a meeting at the Tweed Chamber of Commerce on Monday, NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian welcomed the recent announcement by the supermarkets, but said they were the very reason she did not need to legislate a statewide ban as Premier.
"[Coles, Woolworths and Harris Farm] produce about 80 per cent of the plastic bags in NSW, so in essence they themselves would ban the plastic bag," she said.
Ms Berejiklian told Fairfax Media the government's current anti-litter priority was the 10-cent container deposit scheme, due to start in December.
"Containers that will be eligible for refunds under the NSW container deposit scheme make up 43 per cent of litter volume in NSW.
"While the NSW government recognises plastic bags are an issue for the environment, they make up less than 3 per cent of litter volume."
She said the state was continuing to work with other jurisdictions to "explore a national approach to reducing the impact of plastic bags".