SA: Shop assistants support plastic bag ban

AAP General News (Australia)
04-16-2008
SA: Shop assistants support plastic bag ban

ADELAIDE, April 16 AAP - Shop assistants in South Australia support a ban on single
use plastic bags, due to come into force in 2009.

The state government said 75 per cent of shop assistants surveyed recently were in
favour of the ban and 98 per cent believed the bags were a pollution problem.

The government conducted the survey to identity any potential occupational health and
safety issues following the ban on the bags, including changes to check-out areas to minimise
heavy lifting.

Environment Minister Gail Gago said the government wanted to protect shop assistants
from risks associated with over-filling reusable bags or handling unhygienic bags.

"The vast majority of shoppers do the right thing and we should all be considerate
of shop assistants' daily experiences," Ms Gago said.

"I endorse any business promoting its right to refuse to pack any grubby, unpleasant
or hazardous reusable bags or to overload them with weighty items."

The minister said the government had already foreshadowed an education campaign targeting
the community, the retail sector and shop assistants to balance potential implications.

However, she said the government was determined to press ahead with the ban to rid
South Australia of an "environmental scourge".

"Our ban could see almost 400 million less plastic bags entering the SA waste and litter
streams every year," she said.

Announcing SA's ban last month, Premier Mike Rann said while the federal government
was considering such a move, it was time for the state to lead by example.

"We started the anti-plastic bag fight and we're pushing ahead regardless of whether
a nationally consistent approach is agreed to in the meantime," Mr Rann said.

AAP tjd/jm/bwl

KEYWORD: PLASTIC

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