Brace yourself! Retailers face fines of up to $50,000 as new plastic bag ban starts
Victorian retailers who supply single-use plastic bags to customers could be fined $49,500 per offence under new state laws that come into effect from tomorrow.
The plastic bag ban impacts retail outlets in the entire state, which includes supermarkets, fashion stores, fast-food outlets, convenience stores as well as individual businesses who face fines of $9,900 per offence.
The new law makes it illegal for any retailer to “lightweight plastic shopping bags with handles with a thickness of 35 microns or less at any part of the bag, including degradable, biodegradable and compostable bags,” according to news.com.au.
In a statement that announced the legislation to parliament, Victorian Environment Minister Lily D’Ambrosio said that the ban is a much-needed step towards protecting the state’s nature from plastic pollution.
“Plastic pollution is a significant environmental problem — the actions we take now will help ensure Victoria has a clean and bright future,” Ms D’Ambrosio said.
“The feedback on this one was clear. Victorians want to do more to protect the environment from the damage litter causes and are overwhelmingly supportive of banning single-use plastic shopping bags.
“We’ve been working closely with businesses to plan for the ban ahead of November and we’ll continue to look at ways we can reduce other types of plastic pollution across Victoria.”
The National Retail Association has partnered with the Victorian Government to educate business owners about the ban. They said that thousands of businesses have made the switch to sustainable bags.
“Overwhelmingly retailers are embracing this policy,” NRA chief executive Dominique Lamb said in a statement. “We know that consumers are very supportive, and most businesses have already moved to implement more sustainable options well ahead of Friday’s deadline.”