A bag to brag about

By Kristie Beattie

The introduction of biodegradable shopping bags could mean the phasing out of plastic bags that cause significant damage to the environment.

Retailer giant Target recently installed Australia’s first certified biodegradable bag into its outlets.

CEO of Clean Up Australia, Lexia Johnston, said the retailer is setting a precedent for other businesses and consumers.

Ms Johnston said: “There is initially a bit of a shock but people adapt pretty quickly.” She referenced South Australia’s 2009 banning of light-weight disposable plastic bags.

“Plastic bags are extremely damaging as they enter the food chain quickly and they smother and consume.”

Target Australia’s Managing Director, Dene Rogers, said that the company was proud to be the first retailer in Australia to use biodegradable bags.

“Most households these days have more than one reusable shopping bag that they use every day; however, the beauty with this new bag is that when customers have finished with it, it will break down naturally under the right conditions within two months.”

In a 2010 survey conducted by the consumer watchdog, CHOICE, 62 per cent of respondents used green bags or other reusable bags as their main shopping bags.

Principle consultant at Hyder Consulting, Peter Allen, said the reusable bag is produced with less energy and materials than biodegradable and paper bags.

Mr Allen has researched the impacts of plastic bags and penned reports to advise the government on which bag is the safest for the environment.

“There is little advantage in biodegradable and degradable bags, because most bags end up in landfill where there is no benefit to breaking down – they just create more methane and a less stable landfill site,” he said.

Ms Johnston said: “We have been quite supportive of the Target initiative as they are giving people an alternative to plastic bags.

“This will keep [the environmental damage of plastic bags] in people’s consciousness.”