Several states and even more independent cities have banned the plastic shopping bag: could Mandurah be next?
So far the plastic bag ban has reached South Australia, Tasmania, the Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory, with Fremantle championing a so-far unsuccessful ban in Western Australia.
The Estuary Guardians, however, want to see it through.
“It’s about people becoming more aware of the cons of these things environmentally,” surf science teacher and Estuary Guardian co-ordinator Kim Davies said.
“There are many alternatives you can have [to plastic bags] that are more environmentally-friendly options,” she said.
The Estuary Guardians, consisting mostly of school students, as well as other local environmental groups the Mandurah Environment and Heritage Group, the Dudley Dolphin Buddy Club, and the Peel Trails Group, became aware of the extent of damage plastic bags have had in the Peel-Harvey estuary while participating in a Clean Up Australia Day activity in March.
“There were lots of plastic bags and lots of fishing lines,” Ms Davies said.
She said they plan to write up a petition and go through the process of taking it to council, after investigating what models have been successful in other states.
In 2014 the City of Mandurah council considered options available to minimise the use of plastic bags in Mandurah.
Though report stated that the city would support such a move at a state level, City of Mandurah chief Mark Newman said the local government does not have the power to implement a ban.
“As has been seen in the case of the City of Fremantle when it tried to adopt a local law to this effect, the State Government overruled the local government, so any such campaign would need to be directed towards the State,” Mr Newman said.
Despite this barrier, he said the city would continue to look at ways to reduce plastic use at a local level.
