What’s the problem with a plastic bag levy?

The Welsh Assembly Government have the power to put a levy on all plastic bags given out by retailers, yet since the Sustainability Committee’s report on the levy proposal was published in November 2008 we’ve heard nothing more. Suspicion is that WAG are afraid of a compulsory levy being unpopular, but what is the problem people have with a plastic bag levy? Bring your own, I’m sure there’s a few lurking around everyone’s home, and its free again.

The levy, between 10 and 20 pence, would limit the number of bags going into circulation -currently an estimated 490 million plastic bags in Wales each year. Keep Wales Tidy say that plastic bags contribute between 0.1 – 1% of visible litter in the UK, and around 2% of litter on all UK beaches is plastic bags.  2% may not sound a huge proportion but considering that each plastic bag can take 1,000 years to degrade (and even then it only photo-degrades so plastic particles remain to contaminate the environment anyway) and there are over 1,000 beaches in the UK, that’s a lot of plastic bag litter.

The Marine Conservation Society said: “the impacts of plastic bags on wildlife are only starting to be documented, but it is estimated that annually around 100,000 seabirds and mammals are strangled or suffocated by plastic bags worldwide. The incidence and effects of marine wildlife ingesting plastic has also been seen to be increasing.”

For those who can handle the finer details, when small animals such as seabirds, turtles and fish swallow plastic bags, either by accident or mistaking them for food, two outcomes are most likely. Either, the plastic will become lodged in their throat stopping the animal from swallowing any food, meaning it will slowly starve to death. Or, the plastic will block their airway causing them to suffocate. That is of course, if a plastic bag hasn’t already wrapped itself around their throat and choked it to death, or tangled up their limbs/fins/wings stopping mobility, and causing it to drown.

If however, the pain and suffering of animals, or increasing plastic bag litter on streets, beaches and in parks and oceans doesn’t inspire you, perhaps the price of petrol will.

To make all the plastic bags needed for one year, it takes 0.2% of the world’s oil. That doesn’t sound too much initially, but what this actually means, is that 60million barrels of the globe’s dwindling resources every year, goes towards making the plastic carriers we horde in drawers before dumping in the bin. Three-billion pounds worth of oil resources is wasted on bags that aren’t even designer.

For those yet to ‘click’ – more plastic bags means less oil, less oil means petrol prices rise due to fuel shortages. Can you afford that?  Or, perhaps, does remembering to take a reusable bag shopping and a 10/20p one-off payment should you forget sound better?

Troed Y Ton: A care home at risk

When the youngster of the group is 78 years old, ‘handle with care’ should be an automatic reaction. Not so, however, in the current case of Bridgend County Borough Council (BCBC) versus Troed Y Ton Resource Centre. Or perhaps I should say; Troed Y Ton and Co.

Rough deal

Residents in and around Kenfig-Hill, near Bridgend, have rallied ’round to fight the council’s decision to close Troed Y Ton Resource Centre, and replace it with a block of flats.

The home’s 22 residents, aged 78 to 99, will be uprooted and relocated in homes elsewhere, away from the area many have lived their entire lives.

The proposal has caused outcry in Kenfig Hill and surrounding areas, spurring a recent protest before a cabinet meeting, and the formation of an action group backed by two unions: Unison and GMB

Extra care

BCBC’s proposal comes as a solution to the apparent increase of an older population.

They claim that since people are now living longer compared with past generations, care provision for a larger aged population needs to be developed.

Research included in BCBC reports forecasts that the number of older people (65 yrs+) will increase by 25 percent over the next fifteen years

“Extra care” say BCBC, “is a housing scheme alternative to residential care and enables people to live independently for longer.”

The council, in partnership with Valleys To Coast housing (V2C), plan to build a block of warden managed Extra care flats accommodating 70 people.

David Sage, leader of the BCBC, said “what we’ve done now is, instead of having 24 people in a home, is have a facility that is going to look after 70 people. I see that as an advance to 21st century care.”

Skulduggery afoot?

Yet it seems that there may be a degree of skulduggery afoot, regarding the choice of Troed Y Ton as the location for the Extra care development, and also the conduct of the council.

Current legislation states that plans such as the closure of Troed Y Ton should ensure that public concerned are aware of proposals and time is given for discussion, comment and suggestion.

Megan Butcher, councillor of a nearby ward said: “the feeling is that the steps to go through, or to try and go through this, never followed protocol.”

In terms of publicity of its plans to close the home, BCBC first notified staff and residents 14 October 2008, despite claims that work on the project has been ongoing for four years.

Letters informing the relatives of a meeting to discuss the closure of Troed Y Ton were mailed-out just the evening before, leaving them no time to re-arrange their commitments and attend. Many didn’t even receive their letter until after the meeting had taken place.

“We didn’t even have a day” said Helen Walker, whose father has been at Troed Y Ton for over a year. “The letter arrived Thursday morning; some people had gone to work so didn’t get them, when I phoned the home they were telling staff then and were going to tell the residents.”

Mrs Walker added that even though staff begged Sue Cooper, Head of Adult Social Care at BCBC, not to inform residents of the closure until relatives could arrive to provide comfort – she refused.

Listen to  Helen Walker explain the current state of events

Another point of concern, that has left locals outraged, is the rushed manner in which the council appear to be dealing with the project.

A church 15 years deconsecrated and an empty, boarded up NHS dental practise were listed in a council report as community services that make Troed Y Ton a better site for Extra care housing than any other in the borough.

Ian Jacka, of Kenfig Hill, said: “we don’t think the council have looked at the issue closely enough.”

Many suspect the council are hasty to spend the £2.3 million Welsh Assembly Grant within the specified 2010 time limit, and have selected Troed Y Ton without giving due consideration to alternatives.

Mr Jacka, whose wife works at the home, has created the Troed Y Ton Action Group (TTAG) to lead the spirited fight against the closure of a well-loved community home.

Action

The group have collected thousands of signatures on petitions, and organised a protest outside the BCBC offices on Tuesday.

Cabinet members have agreed to meet representatives of TTAG to discuss concerns; however, a date for such has yet to be confirmed.

In the meantime Mr Jacka and TTAG are collating evidence for legal action. “Solicitor’s have taken on three residents as clients and we hope for a judicial review to force the council to relocate.”

“It’s very wicked. I haven’t been eating and can’t sleep over it. I don’t want to go” said Alice Barwick, 99, of Troed Y Ton. “I just really hope they can save our home.”

Save Troed Y Ton protest