Any mandatory plastic bag charging scheme in the island would have to be introduced on a ’Manx scale’, says Environment Minister Geoffrey Boot.

Although there is no law forcing retailers to charge for single use plastic bags in the island, many of the larger chains already operate their own schemes.

Mr Boot said that while the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture was stretched preparing for Brexit it was still the plan to bring in mandatory charging.

In the UK, businesses that employ fewer than 200 are exempt from the scheme.

’If we adopted the same scheme format that is in the UK, most of our businesses, which employ less than 200 people, would fall without that scheme,’ he said.

’Consequently any scheme we introduce in the future must address plastic bag use on a Manx scale.’

Mr Boot said that through its own scheme, Tesco had donated £68,140 to Manx projects from the proceeds since its introduction.

Marks & Spencer’s plastic bag charges go to UK projects, but the department ’will be talking to them about making this available on-island’.

Money raised from the sale of re-usable bags in Manx Co-op stores had gone to community projects in the Isle of Man.

Profits from plastic bag charges in Boots - £7,572 in the island over the past 12 months - goes to Children in Need, which provides grants to Isle of Man projects.

Information on the proceeds from charges in Shoprite and Spar stores has yet to be collated.