A disposable plastic bag persists in the environment for almost a quarter of a century
According to the Ministry of the Environment, each resident of the Czech Republic uses an average of 300 plastic bags per year. As Radio Prague notes, this totals about three billion bags annually. And the aggregate figure for all EU countries reaches 90 billion.
The goal of the innovation is to reduce the volume of plastic polluting nature and force the population to be more economical with bags when going shopping. By 2019, it is planned to reduce the number of bags to 90 per person per year, and by 2025 to 40. The Ministry reminds that one plastic bag persists in the environment for about 25 years, while people often use it only once when carrying home purchases.
Each store or trader can set the price of a bag at their own discretion, but not below cost. In most cases, prices range from 3 to 10 crowns. At the same time, disposable bags for purchasing bakery products, vegetables, and fruits will remain free in stores, as they are necessary for compliance with hygiene standards.
It should be recalled that some retail chains introduced a fee for bags even before the new law came into force. According to Environment Minister Richard Brabec, this reduced the consumption of bags by customers. "According to the first data received, thanks to the introduction of fees by retail chains, bag consumption decreased by 50%, and in some cases by 60%," reports Richard Brabec.
The Czech Trade Inspection and the Environmental Inspection will monitor compliance with the law, and the fine for violating the law can reach half a million crowns (19,200 euros).
International experience shows that the introduction of paid bags can significantly reduce their consumption. For example, in the UK, the number of plastic shopping bags used decreased by 90%.
The first place in Europe where free bags in retail outlets were banned was Corsica, where they were abolished back in 1999. In 2011, Italy took this step, whose residents were the biggest fans of free plastic bags in stores, accounting for 20% of all bag consumption in Europe.
Some countries and regions, such as Northern Ireland, Wales, Ireland, and Denmark, did not go down the path of a complete ban but introduced a special tax on this plastic packaging. Among non-EU countries, the highest tax on plastic bags is in Iceland, South Africa, and Taiwan.