Public ‘strongly agree’ with EU-bag ban plans
From Packaging News
The European Commission has published the responses it received on its plastic bag consultation and more than 50% of the respondents strongly agree that an EU-ban on plastic carrier bags is needed.
In May 2011, the EC opened a stakeholder consultation to seek views on reducing plastic bag use. It asked if charging and taxation would be effective, or if other options such as an EU-level ban on plastic carrier bags would be better.
The consultation closed in August 2011 and the EC received 15,538 responses. A total of 52.85% of people strongly agreed that an EU ban on plastic carrier bag is needed. A total of 65% of people strongly agreed that measures needed to be adopted at EU level to reduce the use of carrier plastic bags.
Some of the research questions have been criticised by some in the packaging industry as gearing the respondents towards answering in a way that led to a 'yes' to favouring a ban.
An EC spokeswoman told PN that the EC is still considering the various options available to reduce the environmental impact of plastic carrier bags. She said: "At this stage we cannot draw conclusions on possible future measures."
Separately, the EC also revealed exclusively to PN that it aims to publish a Green Paper on plastic waste this spring (March 2012).
PAFA chief executive Barry Turner told PN that he thinks that it would be highly unlikely that a ban would or could be implemented.
He added: "Our industry and retailers are engaged with the commissioner with a view to agreeing measures that will further reduce the environmental impact of these products and that will continue to build on industry initiatives already successfully implemented."
