At the same time the House of Commons revealed it is to embrace a green solution to the environmental problem caused by unwanted plastic bags.
From this month (April) the House of Commons shop will be giving customers biodegradable plastic bags made of Biothene, a new material developed by Lincolnshire firm
CFN Packaging and sold through its approved suppliers.
Announcing the launch on behalf of the Commons Commission, the body which overseas administration in the House of Commons, Liberal Democrat Nick Harvey said conventional plastic bags will be phased out in the House from April 2008.
“Once all existing stocks have been exhausted, bags for souvenirs and bookshop sales will be replaced by Biothene, which is degradable polythene,” he told MPs.
In his Budget speech Chancellor Alistair Darling announced that laws will be introduced by 2009 to tax disposable plastic bags if shops do not do more to charge for their use.
About 13bn plastic bags are given out free to UK shoppers every year and take 1,000 years to decay.
Biothen already accounts for 20% of the carrier bags produced by CFN Packaging in Skegness and is being promoted as a radical solution to the problem of disposable carrier bags.
“Environmental issues are now at the top of everyone’s agenda and our new degradable Biothene product will make a significant contribution to helping us to live more sustainably,” said CFN Director Jayson Clark.
“We specialise in robust, colourful carrier bags which are likely to be re-used by consumers anyway, unlike normal non-degradable single-use bags that cause a lot of environmental harm.
“Now we can also manufacture carrier bags which will naturally and safely break down at the end of their useful life – and Biothene can be used for food packaging too.”
Biothene starts to degrade upon exposure to sunlight and the process is accelerated by heat. Once the material has been broken down into small particles these degrade into a non-toxic residue within 12 to 18 months.
“Many people will be happy to do without carrier bags completely, but for those who do need to use a bag Biothene is a great degradable alternative,” said Clark.
“A sturdy carrier bag which can be re-used several times before degrading harmlessly is much better for the environment than a cheap plastic bag which stays in the environment for hundreds of years.
“We live in a consumer world and having no method of carrying our shopping is unrealistic. Biothene provides a solution that will help to reduce the harm done to the countryside caused by normal plastic bags.
“Biothene is not the full answer, however. It requires an improved litter and recycling policy from the Government to tackle the non-degradable plastic bags already in use.”
