The days of Canberrans taking home groceries in a flimsy plastic bag are gone. From today handing out the white or grey bags is illegal.
The ban applies to plastic bags thinner than 35 microns, typically the sort given away in supermarkets, take-away shops and markets. But it will not apply to fruit and vegetable barrier bags (the ones on a roll), thicker retail store bags or biodegradable bags.
An estimated 64 million plastic bags are sent to ACT landfill every year, taking an estimated 1000 years to break down.
The new laws were passed by the ACT Government with the Greens' support in November last year, with businesses given a phase-in period from July 1.
Environment Minister Simon Corbell said Canberrans wanted the ban.
''It's a very modest change, but it will make a practical difference in the amount of litter in our environment, by the amount of waste that goes to landfill, and helps people to continue to reduce our impact on the environment,'' Mr Corbell said.
Mr Corbell said many retailers already use biodegradable bags, paper bags, boxes or reusable woven bags. ''Coles and Woolies are making larger-heavier duty-reusable bags available. Other supermarkets are using biodegradable bags that meet the relevant Australian standards.''
But Opposition Leader Zed Seselja said there was no evidence the ban would decrease plastic bag use and slammed the penalties as draconian.
He said a person convicted of taking a child into a brothel would be up for a smaller fine than a shopkeeper who gives a customer a plastic shopping bag under the new laws.
According to the Liberal leader, the penalty unit value is $550 for a corporation, of which the maximum number of penalty units is 50, totalling $27,500.
''Britain's Environmental Agency found that shoppers would have to use the same cotton bag every working day for a year to have a lesser impact than a lightweight plastic bag,'' Mr Seselja said.
''In South Australia, bin liner sales have doubled the national average since free plastic shopping bags were banned more than two years ago ... This illogical ban goes against evidence and will inconvenience customers and businesses.''
But Mr Corbell said an individual who issues a plastic bag would face a fine of $110 while corporations would face a fine of $1925.
The minister said he did not expect any fines to be handed out in the first few weeks.
''Officers will be exercising discretion in the first couple of weeks,'' Mr Corbell said.
''The Government approach is very much an educative one and a cooperative one - penalties will only be used as a last resort.''
The ban will be enforced by the Office of Regulatory Services.
Compliance checks start today.
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