EU reported to green light plastic bag ban

A report from Europe indicates the European Commission has decided on measures forcing all member states to take action on plastic shopping bags.

The EC, the administrative arm of the European Union, is set to clamp down on plastic bag waste with new plans that would force all member states to either start charging for single use carriers or ban them altogether.

British environmental news website BusinessGreen has reported that EC President José Manuel Barroso gave the green light to much-anticipated regulations on plastic bags late last week, meaning the new rules could come into effect as soon as next year.

BusinessGreen reports the proposals are due to be unveiled by Environment Commissioner Janez Potocnik in the coming weeks as part of his department’s efforts to limit the scourge of plastic bag litter.

Although most plastic carrier bags are theoretically recyclable, many are still sent to landfill.

The lightweight material can also easily end up in the sea or rivers where they pose a serious threat to wildlife, as well as contaminating waterways and soil.

An estimated 250 billion plastic particles and 500 tonnes of plastic are thought to be floating in the Mediterranean alone.

BusinessGreen reports member states will be given a simple choice, to ban single use plastic bags of a specified thickness or start charging for them.

Mr Potocnik has been floating the idea of legislation on plastic bags for some years, particularly after a 2011 public consultation by his department found 70 per cent of people were in favour of an outright ban.

However, the plans faced repeated delays, in part because officials outside the Environment Commission were increasingly keen to use the bloc’s economic crisis as an excuse for delaying or even blocking green policies.

BusinessGreen reports a source close to the process said Mr Potocnik’s original plan to impose plastic bag reduction targets have now been binned in order to avoid creating unnecessary burdens on businesses.

The Commission will also be hoping that the simplified plans are more likely to secure approval from the European Parliament and Council.

“In the end, we came to the conclusion that targets would be difficult to enforce, which would create layers of bureaucracy,” the source told BusinessGreen.

“We don’t expect too much opposition from member states because it’s going to be a win-win for them.

“They create revenues from the charge and it’s good for PR because it will clean up waste.”

A number of countries have already introduced taxes or levies.

The British government last week confirmed it would compel major retailers to start charging five pence per single use carrier bag in England from 2015.

Wales and Northern Ireland have already implemented successful five pence charges, while Scotland is planning to introduce one next year.

Shoppers in the Republic of Ireland, France, Norway and Spain, are also already paying for bags, while Italy has banned them altogether.

However, it remains to be seen if member states will accept proposals to allow a plastic bag ban to override single market rules, and the EU’s previous record may give them the impression the ban could be circumvented.

BusinessGreen reports that bizarrely, Italy is currently facing legal action from the Commission after launching Europe’s first plastic bag ban in 2011.

The case was launched after Britain, the Netherlands and Sweden objected to Italy’s nationwide ban, arguing that under single market rules, a legal product should be allowed to be sold in all member states.

The new legislation would allow single market rules to be overridden so that any country could introduce a plastic bag ban if they so wish.

The source told BusinessGreen infraction proceedings against Italy are also likely to be suspended until after a decision by the European Parliament and Council

If approved, the new restrictions could come into effect as soon as next year.