Retailers in the UK handed out 6.4 billion single use plastic bags in 2010/11, 300 million more than the previous year.
According to a report by the Daily Mail, it was the first time that the total has gone up in five years. In 2009/10 there were 6.1 billion plastic bags handed to shoppers, many of which would have been used for a matter of minutes before finding their way to landfill where they can remain for 1,000 years.
Recycling minister Lord Henley admitted yesterday that the figures were poor.
He said: "This isn’t good enough. Retailers need to take responsibility and cut down on the number of single use carrier bags they hand out. If results do not improve we will consider additional measures to make this happen, including legislation."
Richard Harrington of the Marine Conservation Society said he was disappointed to see that despite the publicity surrounding plastic bags, their use was still on the rise.
He told the Mail: "Retailers need a strong government lead to discourage them from giving shoppers free plastic bags, and until that lead is given, bags will continue to be manufactured and handed out in shops for just one use, before being discarded and causing a hazard to wildlife."
