About 50 million plastic bags end up in the Australian environment each year resulting in undeniably devastating impacts on our wildlife and waterways.

Cr Jones has fought against plastic bags in the past and hopes the NSW government will move the issue higher on its priority list given the findings in Wednesday’s report.

“The environment group ECCO has made submissions on a number of occasions advocating for the banning on single-use plastic bags,” he said.

“It’s a huge disappointment that government at all levels in NSW continue to stall on this issue.

“The outcome would be such an important one - protecting our environment and wildlife.”

Cr Jones said after Wednesday’s Senate inquiry, hopefully the government will stop showing a lack of commitment to such an important environmental issue, referencing initiatives of businesses such as Bunnings and Aldi, which no longer offer single use plastic bags.

The Greens currently have a bill in NSW parliament that would ban single use plastic bags, in line with what is currently the law in South Australia, the Northern Territory, the ACT and Tasmania.

Greens NSW environment spokeswoman Dr Mehreen Faruqi said the Senate inquiry recommendations add to overwhelming evidence that NSW needs to ban single use plastic bags.

“The NSW government has previously said it can’t ‘chew gum and walk’ in implementing both a container deposit scheme and a plastic bag ban,” she said.

“Today’s report shows that both are essential.

“A plastic bag ban is in place in four other states - all NSW has to do is take this model and implement it. 

“This is a policy that could be introduced very quickly.”

bryson.ferreira@fairfaxmedia.com.au