Aussie Environment Minister Keen to Ban Plastic Shopping Bags

January 10, 2008 8:30 p.m. EST

Sydney, Australia (AHN)-Australian Environment Minister Peter Garrett said Thursday that he plans to ban all plastic shopping bags by the end of 2008.

"There are some four billion of these plastic bags floating around the place, getting into landfill, ending up affecting our wildlife, and showing up on our beaches while we are on holidays. I think most Australians would like to see them rid," said Garrett, a long time environmentalist.

Australia has been making headway in its war against plastic. In 2003, Coles Bay in Tasmania region earned the distinction as the first plastic bag-free village in the world. It is estimated that the small community of 200 people have saved over one million plastic bags.

On Tuesday, China also announced that it would ban free plastic bags starting June 1 this year. The thinnest bags will be banned immediately and stores will be forced to charge for thicker, more durable bags such cloth bags. Other countries that have banned the use of plastic bags include South Africa, Ireland, Taiwan and Bangladesh.