An environmentalist is calling for the Manx Government to tax plastic bags.

Carrie Costain, of Friends of the Earth (Isle of Man) says Ireland introduced a nine pence tax in 2000 which resulted in a 90 per cent drop in the number of bags people used.

People in the Isle of Man use an average 216 carrier bags a year, with the majority ending up in the bin.

The Island's Marks and Spencer store will be charging customers 5p a bag from May 6 in a bid to encourage re-use.

Mrs Costain says it's a huge waste of resources (audio file attached):

Carrie Costain was speaking to Dan Davies, on Talking Heads.



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