[GreenYes] Plastic Bag Recycling - What Happened in Ireland?

["Kendall Christiansen" <kendall@no.address>]

In the wake of new plastic shopping bag initiatives in SF, NYC, etc., and
discussion of prospective bans in China and Australia, does anyone know what
happened in Ireland after imposition of its bag-tax?  Have heard it
suggested that the unintended consequence was that shoppers declined to pay
the tax for light-weight shopping bags, but then opted to buy heavier
conventional garbage bags for their household waste (which previously had
been contained in shopping bags), resulting in a net increase in film
plastic being disposed of (while perhaps solving a litter problem)..  Can
anyone confirm whether that's true or not?  If true, anything new under
consideration?

 

Kendall Christiansen

Gaia Strategies

Brooklyn, NY 11225