Oyster Bay ahead of the times in move to ban plastic bags in 2004

In 2004, Sutherland Shire Council unanimously supported a local resident's move to make Oyster Bay the first plastic shopping bag free suburb in Sydney by investing $1500 in calico tote bags.

The bags were distributed to the 2000 homes in the area.

Just how successful the move was is not known, but 18 years later, a state government imposed ban on shops supplying lightweight plastic bags was introduced on June 1 and will be extended to single-use plastic straws, stirrers and cutlery from November 1.

Oyster Bay resident Alexandra Hills, with her sister-in-law Caroline Hills, ran the 2004 project in conjunction with Planet Ark.

"All the shopkeepers are behind it, which is fantastic," Alexandra Hills told the Leader at the time.

While preparations were being made, brown paper bags were made available to shoppers.

The official launch took place at the Oyster Bay Arts and Crafts Festival.

Mayor Kevin Schreiber said, apart from the environmental cost, litter removal cost the state and local governments more than $200 million a year.

Cr Steve Simpson said main roads in the Menai area were littered with plastic bags.