Bilambil has become the ninth Tweed Village to become plastic bag-free, thanks to mum Nikki Clifford and the Tweed Shire Council.
The Tweed continues to lead the state when it comes to reducing the use of single use plastic bags, with another village set to ban their use in stores and businesses.
Bilambil was last week the ninth Tweed village to become plastic bag-free, further enhancing the shire’s status as a leader in this important environmental movement, following Uki, Tyalgum, Mooball, Burringbar, Chillingham, Tumbulgum, Stokers Siding and Crabbes Creek.
Outside the Tweed, only one other community in NSW, Kangaroo Valley south-west of Sydney, has been officially declared plastic bag-free, while their use has been banned across South Australia and in the ACT and Northern Territory.
Mayor of Tweed, Councillor Barry Longland, said the growing movement away from plastic bag use was an excellent example of a small change people can make in their lives, which has a significant, positive, environmental impact.
“These plastic bag bans are really helping to raise awareness of what an important issue this is and I note the use of reusable bags in areas outside these villages seems to be increasing as well,” said Cr Longland.
“This is a grassroots movement where people are taking the initiative to do what is right for the environment and their communities and we are happy to do what we can to support their efforts.”
Nikki Clifford said she had heard about the project and decided to contact the council.
“I’d heard other villages had been doing it and thought it was a great idea,” she said.
“It’s great to have the pre-school and primary school here.”
Tweed Shire Council supports businesses which choose to participate in the program by sponsoring the first batch of reusable bags, which are then sold to customers to cover the cost of the next batch.
Bilambil Post Office store owner Chris Thompson said her customers welcomed the change and were well aware of the environmental concerns posed by plastic bags.
“It’s nice to be able to think we can do our bit to get rid of just a little bit of plastic, but then, if everyone were to just do their little bit, it will benefit us all,” said Ms Thompson.
“The idea for Bilambil was really kicked off by students at the local primary school and we were more than happy to go along with it.”
While plastic bags have become a symbol of modern consumer convenience, they decompose extremely slowly and are often mistaken for food by marine animals such as turtles, whales and dolphins.
The UN Environment Program estimates that plastic debris causes the deaths of more than one million seabirds and more than 100,000 marine mammals every year.
