Call on shops to end plastic carrier bags

12.00.00pm GMT Sun 26th Oct 2008

Shops in the UK handed out over 12 billion plastic carrier bags last year. That's over 400 for every household!

Plastic carrier bags cause some of the worst litter problems. They blow around the streets and get caught in trees and bushes, making a horrible mess. Because we are given so many, they are a large part of the waste we throw out. And it costs council taxpayers a large sum of money to dispose of our waste.

Liberal Democrats in Central Suffolk and North Ipswich have launched a campaign to get local shops to use alternatives to plastic carrier bags. They are writing to local businesses to ask them to switch to bags made from greener sources, such as recycled waste like paper, card and plastic. And they are encouraging residents to cut down on using new plastic carrier bags.

Leading the campaign is Lib Dem Parliamentary Spokesperson Andrew Aalders-Dunthorne. He has already pledged to cut down on the use of new carrier bags from shops. "Many years ago shoppers used reusable shopping bags," said Andrew. "I'm pledging to do the same again. I'll take bags with me to the shops when I get my groceries and I am encouraging other residents to do likewise."

"I have bought myself some jute bags - and use them most of the time now!" Andrew added.