Plastic shop bag ban another nation leader by South Australian government in 2009 – no 'end of civilisation'

The South Australian government ban on checkout-style plastic bags was proclaimed in supermarkets in 2009.

South Australia again led Australia – and much of the world – in 2009 with a state-wide ban on lightweight checkout-style plastic bags. State premier Mike Rann initiated the ban in South Australia because around 400 million nonbiodegradable plastic bags were going into the local environment each year.

Rann received the same response as premier Don Dunstan when he introduced South Australia’s drink container-deposit legislation in 1975. Some retailers saw it as “the end of civilisation" and would damage business. It didn't.

South Australian shoppers were quick to embrace the state’s plastic bag ban for the sake of the environment. Research by the Ehrenberg-Bass Institute for Marketing Science at the University of South Australia showed that more than nine in 10 shoppers took reusable bags to do their shopping, compared to about six in 10 before the ban. Stores began proudly proclaiming their green credentials and polls showed 80% support from South Australians for the move.

South Australia included lightweight plastic bags with “100% degradable” printed on them in the ban as their breakdown into smaller flakes was still damaging to the environment for many years. Only plastic bags thicker than 35 microns or compostable plastic bags that comply with Australian Standard AS4736-2006 were permitted in South Australia.

Retailers offered heavy-duty reusable plastic bags at 15 cents each or green bags made from polypropylene for about $2.

Bags made in Japan from 100% organic matter, including "98% corn starch”, were trialled in South Australia but not widely used. Soft plastics, such as bags and biscuit packets, could be recycled in South Australia through bins provided by REDcycle at locations including Woolworths and Coles stores. REDcycle uses the material to turn it into street and park furniture, including exercise equipment.