Donate your extra green-bags to the Bagbuster BagShare

Do you have more green shopping bags at home than you need?

Marrickville Council’s Bagbuster program, in partnership with The Watershed, is urgently calling for donations of unused green bags that can be used for Marrickville’s first ever community BagShare.

All kinds of reusable shopping bags are welcome in the BagShare; cotton, hemp, polypropylene ("green" bags), nylon and jute bags can be donated.

Donate your bags at these locations:

• The Watershed
  218 King St, Newtown
  10am - 4pm, Tuesday to Saturday
   
• Marrickville Council Administrative Centre
  2-14 Fisher St, Petersham
  8:30am - 5:00pm, Monday to Friday
   
• Over the counter at participating retailers (see below)

The Bagbusters BagShare is a community effort to reduce plastic shopping bags in the Marrickville Council area.  Plastic bags are harmful to the environment in two ways:

1) Toxic chemicals and non-renewable resources (oil, coal, and gas) are used in the manufacturing process; and

2) When discarded, plastic bags stay in the environment from 20 - 1000 years, during which they can harm marine animals, block storm drains, and cause visual pollution.

Not only that, but plastic bags are not "free" - they cost Australians $173 million annually. Shoppers pay for them in the form of higher prices for the products they buy.

The BagShare makes donated reusable shopping bags available for loan at participating shops. If you forget your bag, you may borrow a BagShare bag and return it on your next shopping trip, or drop it at The Watershed. And if you really want to make a difference, you can top up the community BagShare supply with any extra reusable bags you might have at home.

The BagShare specifically aims to prevent the use of plastic bags when well-intentioned shoppers forget their reusable bags.  Additionally, individuals who have not yet tried reusable bags can experience the convenience and ease of using reusable bags. 
The BagShare has been well received by retailers and shoppers!  The following businesses have showed their support for the environment by trialling the BagShare:

• FoodWorks, 173A Enmore Rd, Enmore
• Franklins, 259 King St, Newtown 
• Alfalfa House, 113 Enmore Rd, Enmore
• Cat Protection Society, 103 Enmore Rd, Enmore
• 108 Take Away, 108 Cambridge St, Stanmore
• Stanmore Cellars, 157 Cambridge St, Stanmore
• Salisbury Hotel, 118 Percival Rd, Stanmore
• Molly Coddle Café, Shop 3, 111-115 Percival Rd, Stanmore
• Stanmore Station Pharmacy, 104A Cambridge St, Stanmore
• Le Chocorêve, 16 Douglas St, Stanmore
• Made in Stanmore, 124 Percival Rd, Stanmore
• Magic Roundabout, 132 Percival Rd, Stanmore
• Just Movies, 140 Percival Rd, Stanmore
• Civic Video, 264 Wardell St, Dulwich Hill

Recognising the environmental problems with plastic bags, more businesses are eager to participate in the BagShare.  If you would like your business to participate in the BagShare, please contact Jackie Cupples, Plastic Bag Reduction Officer or Mithra Cox, Senior Environmental Officer at 9335-2222.

For more information about the Bagbusters Program visit our Plastic Bag Reduction page.