London councils call for ban on plastic bags

A major debate gets under way today on how to reduce the estimated 1.6 billion bags used in the capital each year.

Alternative plans for a city-wide levy of about 10p per bag are also being considered - with the cash used to fund improved recycling facilities.

Borough leaders will ask MPs to pass a new law that would apply only in London if they obtain sufficient public support.

Merrick Cockell, Tory chairman of the London Councils organisation, said: "This is an opportunity for Londoners to lead the country in a bold initiative. We are asking for their views on our proposals to do something about the billions of shopping bags that end up sent to landfill each year."

The move, first revealed in the Standard in July, follows a surcharge in the Republic of Ireland and a ban on supermarket bags in cities such as San Francisco.

It is estimated that every Briton uses 220 shopping bags a year - adding up to 13 billion plastic, paper or biodegradable bags. Only one in every 200 bags is recycled. All cause major environmental problems.

Normal plastic bags take around 400 years to decompose. Paper bags are heavier and require more fuel to distribute. Biodegradable bags create methane gas in landfill sites - a potent chemical that worsens the "greenhouse" effect.

Londoners will be asked to indicate their support for a series of options, from maintaining the status quo - which includes a voluntary commitment from retailers to cut bag use by a quarter by next year - to levying charges on shoppers or retailers. Council leaders admit that all options have practical difficulties. These include how to enforce any new law or to prevent unwanted side effects, such as an increase in the amount of food sold wrapped in plastic containers.

They hope draft legislation can be introduced to Parliament in November as part of the annual London Local Authorities Bill, which allows the 33 boroughs to ask for extra powers over issues of particular concern to the capital.

Today's consultation runs until 26 October. With MPs' support, the measures could become law around a year later. Sean Brennan, London Councils' executive member for sustainability, said: "People need to realise that the 'free' shopping bag they pick up in the supermarket is not really free at all - not in its cost to the environment."

Ireland placed a 10p tax on plastic bags in 2002 and cut their use by 90 per cent within months while raising millions of euros for environmental projects.

The Government says reducing the number of bags in the UK by a quarter would save the equivalent of 58,500 tonnes of carbon dioxide a year - equivalent to taking 18,000 cars a year off the road.