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EU to ban free plastic bags in stores
Last reviewed: 30.06.2025
The European Commission has launched a public consultation process on the future of plastic bags, which will last until August 2011, said EU Environment Commissioner Janez Potocnik. The EC is currently considering the possibility of introducing a ban on free plastic bags in shops or imposing a special tax on them.
According to Potocnik, in some countries of the European Union, bags in supermarkets are either banned or require a fee for customers. There is no uniform regulation for the entire EU, and yet plastic bags used for several minutes have been polluting the environment for decades. According to the European Commission, the average EU resident uses about 500 plastic bags per year. In 2008, 3.4 million tons of bags were produced on the continent, which is equivalent to the weight of 2 million cars.
In January 2011, Italy joined the ranks of countries that have refused to use plastic bags. However, the Association of European Plastics Processors EuPC (Brussels, Belgium), as well as the British consortium Carrier Bag Consortium (CBC) and the Association of Packaging and Film Manufacturers (PAFA, Great Britain) protested against the decision of the Italian authorities to ban polymer bags. According to experts, the usual lightweight plastic bag is so effective that replacing it with heavier or biodegradable alternative packaging will affect transportation and storage, and will also increase the risk of greenhouse gas pollution.
In San Francisco, USA, a law banning the use of disposable bags has been in place since 2007. Similar bills exist in other countries. In the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh, the storage and use of plastic bags is punishable by up to 7 years in prison or a fine of 100,000 rupees (about $2,000), while in Bangladesh, the production of plastic containers is punishable by 10 years in prison.
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