re Waste Management Draft Report
In October 2004 the township of Birregurra became the first Victorian community to become plastic bag free (The Age, Saturday 9th October, page three).
The proprietor of the General Store made the simple decision not to supply them, and all local businesses made a commitment to be plastic check-out bag free. In fact it was like a relief for people not to use them, and an excuse for them to do so. When you ask a primary school child 'what is wrong with plastic bags', they will tell you honestly they are pollution and rubbish, because they live with them in their enviroment. 
When first mooted, the potential success of a plastic bag free environment was evident immediately when consumers started saying 'no' to plastic bags and carrying their own. As in Birregurra, people were given permission not to use them. 
The people of Birregurra are proud to be plastic bag free, and if just one plastic bag a week over a year per head was not consumed, that's 26,000 bags not breaking down into plastic dust.   
Regards
Debra Chant
Victoria
coordinator of a plastic bag free Birregurra