Archived press release

Friends of the Earth launches its first plastic bag

1 April 2011

Friends of the Earth today (1 April 2011) released a new single-use shopping bag, which the organisation says will help protect the environment in Northern Ireland.

The bag uses a revolutionary plant-based polymer, called Ka-Poots, which makes the bag turn to compostable mulch as soon as you unpack your shopping.

It is already available on the group's Northern Ireland homepage (www.foe.co.uk/ni) and costs 15p per bag.

Friends of the Earth's Northern Ireland Director, James Orr, said:

"£4 million has been taken from the DOE's core budget in order to fund the Green New Deal.  The Executive has proposed that this shortfall, which will negatively affect vital work in policing illegal dumping and pollution, will be made up by charging a 15p levy on every plastic bag used in Northern Ireland.  This means that if you care about environmental protection, you will need to start using a lot more plastic bags."

Mr Orr continued:

"We're going to have to use 27 million of these things just to get the budget for environmental protection back to the paltry figure it was at before the budget cuts, and we hope that our bag, which will fall to pieces as soon as you have your vegetables in the salad drawer, will ensure that everyone has to keep coming back to buy another."

Mr Orr concluded:

"If you love Northern Ireland's environment, throw your cloth bag in the bin."

Friends of the Earth Northern Ireland
7 Donegall Street Place
BELFAST
BT1 2FN
Tel: 028 9023 3488
Fax: 028 9024 7556
Email: foe-ni@foe.co.uk.

Published by Friends of the Earth Trust