Groups show 2000 plastic bags used by Whanganui shoppers in an hour

Nearly 2000 plastic bags were laid out on Castlecliff beach last weekend in a dramatic visual representation of one hour's worth of what is used shopping in Whanganui.

The project was organised by Plastic Bag Free Whanganui and Whanganui Greens as a practice run for a more public event later this year.

Jill Hobbs, from Plastic Bag Free Whanganui, said members counted the number of plastic bags leaving the city's four main supermarkets (Pak'nSave, New World and two Countdowns) in one hour, and a total of 1926 were counted.

The groups collected almost 2000 plastic bags and around 25 people strung them together along the beach. The result was filmed and photographed by Brit Bunkley with his drone.

Ms Hobbs said the group wanted to highlight the damage plastic bags did to the environment - and present the reality of the sheer number of bags that people use.
"Plastic bags never biodegrade, but they do break down," she said.

"As they do so, toxic additives they contain - including flame retardants, antimicrobials and plasticisers - will be released into the environment. Many of these chemicals may disrupt the endocrine system, the delicately balanced set of hormones and glands that affect virtually every organ in the bodies of humans and animals."

The line of bags on the beach this weekend was a forerunner to a more public event this year. PHOTO/CHRISTOPHER CAPE

Ms Hobbs said plastic bags often ended up in waterways and, ultimately, the sea, so they were particularly harmful to marine animals. Many countries had already banned, taxed or put charges on the bags.

¦Find out more about Plastic Bag Free Whanganui at their Facebook page.