The Warehouse stores charge 10 cents for a lightweight plastic bag and that money is donated to local charities. There has been a reported 73 per cent drop in the number of plastic bags leaving the stores since the charge was introduced.
In Wales bag plastic bag use has dropped as much as 90 per cent when a law change introduced a mandatory five-pence charge on every bag with proceeds to charity.
In 2008 Rwanda banned the use or sale of all non-biodegradable plastic or polythene. Incoming tourists are warned before they land that plastic of any kind will be confiscated and failure to disclose plastic in their luggage could result in a fine. Owners of businesses violating the ban could face up to a year in prison. Although the enforcement has created a plastic bag black market with neighbouring countries, numerous international environmental agencies have praised the initiative as effective.
A remit from Local Government New Zealand (LGNZ) has formally asked the Government to impose a compulsory levy on plastic shopping bags at the point of sale and sought to meet Dr Nick Smith, Minister for the Environment.
Dr Smith didn't support the remit and declined to discuss the issue with LGNZ.
Instead, he announced a $1.2 million government project partnering with the retail sector and packaging industry to allow the recycling of thousands of tonnes of plastics like shopping bags that currently cannot be recycled.