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| Plastic bag use continues to fall in Northern Ireland | Plastic bag use continues to fall in Northern Ireland |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Plastic bag use is continuing to fall in Northern Ireland, according to the latest figures from the waste prevention charity, Wrap. | Plastic bag use is continuing to fall in Northern Ireland, according to the latest figures from the waste prevention charity, Wrap. |
| A levy on single-use carrier bags was introduced in Northern Ireland in 2013. | A levy on single-use carrier bags was introduced in Northern Ireland in 2013. |
| The year before the 5p charge was imposed, 190 million carrier bags were issued by NI supermarkets. | The year before the 5p charge was imposed, 190 million carrier bags were issued by NI supermarkets. |
| Last year, that had fallen to 30 million - a 42.6% annual reduction following a previous drop of 71%, after the carrier bag charge was introduced. | Last year, that had fallen to 30 million - a 42.6% annual reduction following a previous drop of 71%, after the carrier bag charge was introduced. |
| Levy | Levy |
| Retailers pay the net proceeds of the levy to the Department of Environment at Stormont. | |
| Earlier this year, 21 environmental groups that had their budgets slashed as part of government cutbacks received a share of a £1.25m fund raised by plastic bag charges. | |
| The Northern Ireland usage figures are in sharp contrast to England, where the number of single-use bags from supermarkets rose from 7.4 billion in 2013 to just over 7.6 billion. | |
| From October large shops in England will have to charge for plastic bags. | From October large shops in England will have to charge for plastic bags. |
| In Scotland, which brought in a levy last year, there was an 18.3% decrease in the number of plastic bags handed out by retailers. | In Scotland, which brought in a levy last year, there was an 18.3% decrease in the number of plastic bags handed out by retailers. |
| There was a 5.2% increase in Wales last year, but the number of bags handed out has fallen by 78.2% since 2010. A charge was introduced in October 2011. | There was a 5.2% increase in Wales last year, but the number of bags handed out has fallen by 78.2% since 2010. A charge was introduced in October 2011. |
| The latest drop in Northern Ireland has been welcomed, but campaigners say there are still too many littering the landscape. | The latest drop in Northern Ireland has been welcomed, but campaigners say there are still too many littering the landscape. |
| Chris Allen, from the environmental charity Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful, said discarded bags can also harm wildlife. | Chris Allen, from the environmental charity Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful, said discarded bags can also harm wildlife. |
| "When they wash up on the shore, you might get sheep that might graze on them by mistake and they might end up dying," he said. | "When they wash up on the shore, you might get sheep that might graze on them by mistake and they might end up dying," he said. |
| He also reminded people that even though plastic bag litter had reduced, the problem had not disappeared. | He also reminded people that even though plastic bag litter had reduced, the problem had not disappeared. |
| "There is a certain element of 'out of sight, out of mind' to it. It's a big sea, it's a big beach, one plastic bag isn't going to hurt but those inconsiderate people don't think of all the other plastic bags they're adding to," Mr Allen said. | "There is a certain element of 'out of sight, out of mind' to it. It's a big sea, it's a big beach, one plastic bag isn't going to hurt but those inconsiderate people don't think of all the other plastic bags they're adding to," Mr Allen said. |