Gleadell Street Market to say goodbye to plastic bags
04 August 2010
Richmond’s historic Gleadell Street Market will become a plastic bag-free zone later this month as it heads towards a greener and more sustainable future.
From 28 August, stall holders will no longer be able to provide customers with plastic bags.
Consultations between Council and market traders earlier this year revealed an estimated 30,000 plastic bags were distributed at the market each Saturday, based on bag usage figures provided by the traders.
As part of the gradual phasing out process, stall holders will retain a limited number of biodegradable bags to give to customers who have forgotten to bring their reusable bags.
To encourage the move away from plastic, Council will give away 5000 environmentally-friendly reusable bag packs free to customers at the markets.
The free packs will contain six reusable shopping bags which can be washed and used repeatedly.
An additional 700 large reusable bags will also be handed out to market customers who don’t already have one.
A survey conducted by council officers at the market in May this year indicated most customers who used a trolley or a green bag to carry their items still continued to use plastic bags.
Yarra Mayor Cr Jane Garrett said the phasing out of plastic bags from the popular market was an environmentally responsible move that had the broad support of the market’s customers.
“Council’s decision to eliminate the use of plastic bags at the Gleadell Street Market is just another way we can all contribute to making Yarra a cleaner and more sustainable place to live,” Cr Garrett said.
“We understand some people may take time to adjust to bringing reusable bags with them. However, encouraging shoppers to stop using plastic is a move supported by the wider community and in keeping with the direction other markets and major retailers around Melbourne are heading.”
Council agreed to phase out the use of plastic bags at the market during a council meeting in February this year.
To help with the transition, Council has also purchased a further 40,000 reusable bags which will be sold at cost price to market customers and stall holders from 28 August.
In addition, stall holders can also provide recyclable bags to their customers.
For media enquiries about this issue, please contact:
Toby Walker
Senior Communications Officer
Richmond Town Hall
333 Bridge Road Richmond
Telephone 9205 5120, 0408 954 769
toby.walker@yarracity.vic.gov.au
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