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Toronto won't attempt to ban plastic bags - but news that China has effectively done so is spurring city politicians to think seriously about taxing them.

"I think the writing is on the Great Wall," said Ward 38 (Scarborough Centre) Councillor Glenn De Baeremaeker, who chairs the city's public works and infrastructure committee. "If China's doing it ... it's not just one or two crazy environmentalists. This is a worldwide phenomenon."

Later this spring, that committee will be looking at ways to reduce the amount of packaging that goes to landfill and recycling centres as a part of Toronto's 70 per cent waste diversion plan. And De Baeremaeker said that putting a tax or surcharge on plastic shopping bags, similar to one in place in Ireland that charges 20 cents a bag, is a likely recommendation.

"When you get the Irish and the Chinese both doing the same thing, it's a worldwide phenomenon," De Baeremaeker said. "Ireland has been phenomenally successful in reducing the volume of plastic by putting a levy on plastic bags and people in Ireland are still going to school, getting jobs, falling in love, doing all the things we do here in Toronto but using fewer plastic bags. It's a good model."

Mayor David Miller said a China-style ban would be impossible in Toronto in any case.

"We don't have the legal ability to ban in-store packaging, although we are looking at the plastic bag issue," he said. "I think Torontonians and businesses - particularly big supermarkets - are ready to move away from plastic bags. We don't have the ability to do that. But it's interesting that China's getting more advanced environmentally than we are."

News of China's decision to ban plastic bags emerged Tuesday, Jan. 8 after the government there issued a notice that because the bags were being disposed of poorly, they would no longer be permitted.