MEP Back 80% reduction plastic bag use
MEP plan to slash the usage of plastic bags by 80% in the EU
MEPs have approved proposals to limit the sales of single use plastic bags in every member state. The EU announced plans to cut plastic bag usage by 80 per cent.
European Commission report was backed by the Parliament's Environment Committee yesterday. The requirement is for each government to take some type of legislative action to curb free handouts of plastic bags.
198 plastic bags a year are used by the average EU citizen with the majority only used once.
Many critics of plastic bags argue they waste resources, contribute to litter, and represent a powerful symbol of the "throwaway society".
A proposal was put forward by the European Commission last year for members of states to enact plastic bag bans, levies, or other measures to reduce their use.
Yesterday plans were approved to halve plastic bag hand-outs over three years with a goal by the end of the decade to reduce today’s levels by 80 per cent.
The new rules are yet to be voted on by the European Parliament and backed by the European Council, are happy to consider introducing a small levy on plastic bags, after seeing the success in the Republic of Ireland, France, Norway and Spain.
However, Conservative MEPs are strongly disagree with the idea. Writing on Twitter, MEP Vicky Ford questioned if plastic bag use should be within the remit of the EU recently opposing the idea back in 2012.
The UK has announced their own policies introducing plans to charge five pence on single carrier bag in 2015.