The Welsh Assembly is considering the introduction of a disposable plastic carrier bag levy.
A document to be published by the assembly’s Sustainability Committee calling for the levy says that up to £12.96m could be raised if between 10p and 20p per bag was charged.
While the committee had considered a total ban on throwaway plastic bags, it said this would be too difficult to marshal in the long run.
Committee chair Mick Bates AM said: “The committee believes that a levy is the best and most practical form of intervention that the Welsh Assembly government could make and that profits raised from such a levy should be used for environmental benefits.
“Consumers in Wales will soon see that a small change in their purchasing and disposal behaviours can quickly affect a large change on the environment.”
In September, Wal-Mart said that it wants to cut shopping bag waste by a third by 2013.
Major supermarket managers in Scotland have also pledged to lower the number of plastic bags used by consumers in the country.
