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Latvia’s parliament supports proposal to ban free plastic bags at shops

BC, Riga, 04.10.2018.Print version
Free plastic shopping bags will no longer be available at stores starting 2019, according to amendments to the Packaging Law that the parliament of Latvia support in the second reading, informs LETA.

The amendments stipulate that stores may not provide plastic bags to customers free of charge from January 1, 2019. The ban concerns not only plastic shopping bags, but all kinds of plastic bags, except bags less than 15 microns in thickness that are used for hygienic purposes or to avoid wasting food, which will still be available to customers for free.


The bill does not say how much packers will be permitted to charge for plastic bags.


According to the Environmental Protection and Regional Development Ministry of Latvia, which drew up the amendments, a total of 1.73 mln tons of plastic bags that weigh less than 0.003 kilograms were distributed or sold at stores in 2017, and 1.97 mln tons of bags that weigh more than 0.003 kilograms, according to the State Environmental Service's data. A study that Geo Consultants carried out for the ministry concluded that the availability of disposable plastic bags at stores should be limited, and such bags should only be provided if requested by customers.

 






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