The ACT Government says a regional approach to plastic shopping bags is needed because Queanbeyan is still sending its plastic bags to Territory landfills.
The ACT Government introduced a ban on free plastic shopping bags in November in a bid to reduce the 64 million bags which go to landfill each year.
Queanbeyan, just over the border in New South Wales, is exempt from the ban.
But the ACT still accepts the city’s plastic rubbish for landfill.
Chief Minister Katy Gallagher says there needs to be a cross-border agreement on the handling of plastic bags.
“We’re talking about transport, we’re talking about urban redevelopment. We should be talking about these services as well,” she said.
“What we can do is start thinking like a region in all areas of our municipal services and waste is one of them.”
Ms Gallagher says the ACT Government has been meeting with the Queanbeyan City Council to explore future waste options.
Ms Gallagher has also rejected criticism from the ACT Opposition that the ban is not helping the environment.
Coles supermarket says sales of bin liners have jumped by nearly 30 per cent since the ban came into force, and the Liberals say that vindicates their opposition to the new laws.
But Ms Gallagher says she is confident the ban will lead to a reduction in plastic bag usage in the ACT.
“Any adjustment to community behaviour takes time. This has been a big change,” she said.
“What we know from other experiences, is when the laws change we do see some small increases in plastic bag usage like bin liners, but eventually the community behaviour and change is accepted and people better understand how to accept the plastic bag ban over time.
“I think over time we will see a significant reduction in plastic bags in landfill.”
Ms Gallagher says the Government will be reviewing the laws at the end of this year.
