THE story of a pilot whale dying because of a stomach full of 85 plastic bags is a sad reflection on a modern-day, throw-away society.

The whale basically died of starvation as it couldn't consume any food with a clogged stomach - a situation that would be met with screams of condemnation if it had happened in any aquarium but has become little more than a newspaper space filler in this case.

The same situation occurs in many oceans and waterways - so polluted that you could almost walk over it, but not swim in it. The provision of safe, clean water is a basic human right although not always a reality.

Plastic is a wonder of science but its time as a common grocery bag must be stopped. All people must stop using them and legislators need to ban them - now.

It's time to bag the plastic bag.

Dennis Fitzgerald

Melbourne, Australia