Tory Euro MPs are under fire from Lib Dems after they opposed a European Parliament vote for a binding target to cut plastic bag use across Europe by 80% in 5 years, after 539 MEPs voted in favour, 51 against and 72 abstained.

The EU move follows a strong campaign by environmentalists such as the Marine Conservation Society, based in Ross-on-Wye in Herefordshire, appalled at the devastation caused by discarded plastic to wildlife, especially in rivers and at sea.

Figures from the European Commission show that over 100 billion carrier bags are used every year within EU countries, working out at an average of 200 per person. 8 billion end up as litter, many in the English Channel and the North Sea.

EU countries will be given the flexibility to choose how they reach a binding target of 50% reduction in plastic bag use within three years and 80% reduction within five years of the legislation coming into force.

Liberal Democrats in the coalition government have announced a 5p charge per plastic bag to be introduced UK-wide in 2015.

In Wales, where a 5p charge was introduced in 2011, supermarkets have reported reductions of up to 96% in the issue of single use plastic carrier bags, suggesting the UK should rapidly meet the EU target.

Campaigners and Lib Dem MEPs have criticised Conservative MEPs who voted against the 80% reduction target at the Parliament in Strasbourg on April 15th, and put down a ‘wrecking amendment’ that would have created a loophole by exempting all restaurants and cafeterias from the EU targets.

Liberal Democrat MEP for West Midlands Phil Bennion voted for the proposals and has actively supported the campaign by the Marine Conservation Society, whose hq in Ross-on-Wye he visited recently.

He commented:

“Discarded plastic bags are one of the most dangerous forms of waste in the environment. This has been exposed by the Marine Conservation Society, who have amassed reams of evidence that these bags do not just float about harmlessly but kill literally millions of marine creatures every year.

“Whales, dolphins and many predator species that eat jellyfish get confused and eat the plastic instead, with fatal results. Three quarters of seabirds and one third of fish in the Channel have been found to be contaminated by plastic waste. There are also huge slicks of plastic bags in the oceans, which are getting bigger every year.

“It is a massive problem around Europe which we have to deal with. The plastic also causes other forms of pollution as it degrades.

“Every country has the right to decide what action to take, but doing nothing should not be an option. We have to stop the huge volumes of plastic waste on our beaches and in rivers and seas.

“I am therefore very sad to see Conservatives dancing to UKIP’s tune by turning against their own government’s decisions and trying to wreck this EU proposal, just because it is an EU proposal.

“Liberal Democrats in government have already proposed measures to reduce plastic bag use in Britain, we are now leading the way in ensuring that similar measures are taken across the European continent. Meanwhile I am afraid Tory MEPs are leading the way to allow polluters to go on polluting.”