STORE chains are backing Durham County Council's drive to reduce the number of plastic bags that end up in its tips.

The Labour-run council wants to encourage stores and shoppers to use more environmentally-friendly alternatives.

It estimates that people in the county throw away more than 65 million shopping bags a year, many of which end up in county-run landfill sites.

The council said plastic bags could take 100 years to degrade - but there were less harmful options.

Sainsbury's, which has a supermarket at the Arnison Centre, Pity Me, has already started an experiment issuing biodegradable bags made from tapioca.

Now the council has persuaded other leading names not to automatically give plastic bags to shoppers.

The council has floated the idea of a plastic bag tax, which it says has reduced use by 90 per cent in the Republic of Ireland.

But it hopes the problem can be solved by voluntary action.

The food sections at Marks & Spencer's six North-East stores, in a six-week pilot, will promote reusable shopping bags, in a scheme which could go nationwide.

Sainsbury's, as well as offering tapioca bags, will offer reusable bags, as will Tesco.

WH Smith will not automatically give its plastic bags to customers who buy one thing and will ask those buying more than one item if they want one.

Joe Armstrong, overview and scrutiny committee chairman, who is leading the initiative, said: "I am sure that what we can achieve between us will not only help reduce the plastic carrier bag problem locally but provide a useful pointer to what can be achieved nationally too.''