Australia has followed China in announcing it plans to end plastic bag use in supermarkets, with its new environment minister saying yesterday he wants a phase-out to start by the end of 2008.

"There are some 4 billion of these plastic bags floating around the place, getting into landfill, ending up affecting our wildlife, and showing up on our beaches while we are on holidays," Environment Minister Peter Garrett said yesterday.

"I think most Australians would like to see them rid. We think it's absolutely critical that we get cracking on it," Garrett, once president of the Australian Conservation Foundation, told local media. "We'd like to see a phase-out implemented by 2008," he said.