Lib Dem Conference hears call for curb on plastic bags and excess packaging

12.00.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Wed 19th Sep 2007

Sheffield's Liberal Democrats have taken the campaign to curb plastic bags and excess packaging to their national conference this week. The national Lib Dem conference in Brighton heard how local Lib Dems, along with the Star, are campaigning to introduce a plastic bag tax and deal with excess packaging.

Conference heard that plastic bags not only waste resources, they litter and pollute the local environment. It was noted that since a small 10p levy on plastic bags was introduced in Ireland there has been a 94% reduction in plastic bag use. Conference also heard how the Star has been campaigning in Sheffield for a similar policy in the UK.

Lib Dems also outlined measures to tackle excess packaging. They believe that significant resources can be saved by reducing excess packaging and making it easier for people to recycle packaging at the point of purchase.

They believe action on these two fronts is essential to preserve the local and global environment. The Liberal Democrat conference has agreed national policy to introduce a small plastic bag tax and take measures against excess packaging in the UK.

Cllr Paul Scriven, Leader of the Sheffield Liberal Democrat Group, said: -

"It is estimated that in Yorkshire & the Humber region alone about one billion plastic bags are distributed every year. Plastic bags litter and pollute our environment, its essential we introduce measures to deal with the problem."

"Its also essential that excessive packaging is curbed so that we stop wasting essential resources. We must reduce packaging and make it easier for people to recycle packaging at the point of purchase through having things like compulsory in-store packaging drop-off points. This will encourage producers to reduce the amount of packaging they use in the first place."

"I'm glad that the national Liberal Democrat conference has recognised these issues and agreed important policies to deal with them. Thanks must go to the Star for campaigning on the issue in Sheffield. Now we must force the Government to listen and take action in order to preserve our local and global environment."