In 2002, a National Packaging Covenant Council plastic bags working group in Australia identified four main concerns with plastic shopping bags: 1. * Plastic bag littering, and associated indiscriminate waste disposal and consumer behaviour; 2. * Resource consumption issues, including reduction, reuse and recycling; 3. * Plastic degradability issues relating to littering and resource use; 4. * Social issues, community education and awareness, and consumer perceptions. The following disadvantages have also been identified: