Price of plastic bags increased to 9 cents
plastic
02 Jan 2019
/ 10:44
From 1 January the price of plastic bags from supermarkets and other shops has more than doubled.
From now on customers will have to pay 9 cents for each plastic bag instead of 4 cents which was the price before the beginning of this year. So for those who don't bring their own bags shopping costs will be slightly more expensive.
According to the Independent Authority for Public Revenue (AADE) the amount collected from the environmental tax in the first half of 2018 was 10,788,055 Euros. In practical terms this means that 360m plastic bags were used by consumers in supermarkets and other retail shops.
The environmental tax is public revenue collected by AADE and given to the Hellenic Recycling Organization (EOAN). The tax income is declared electronically by businesses every quarter and paid the following month.
The amount that has been given to the Hellenic Recycling Organization after the first six months of the new measure is 7.7m Euros. It is estimated that Greece is approximately halfway towards its target of reducing the use of plastic bags from 250 per person per annum to 90 by the end of 2019. Despite the satisfactory reduction, the recycling statistics for Greece are still poor - 82% of waste is buried and only 17 - 18% is recycled and 3.5 - 4% composted.
It is compulsory for reused 50-70mm plastic bags to be charged for but biodegradable plastic bags from renewable energy sources are not subject to environmental tax.
Greek manufacturers of plastic bags have already taken appropriate measures and are in compliance with the new legislation, manufacturing their products from 100% renewable materials.
Exempted shops
According to the legislation, the following are exempt from the tax:
- Plastic bags from kiosks and outdoor traders.
- Plastic bags from fruit & vegetable sections in supermarkets as they are considered to be wrapping material.
- Very thin plastic bags - less than 15mm - when they are necessary for health reasons or they are used to wrap loose food.
- Biodegradable and compostable bags. The technology for biodegradable plastics has not evolved sufficiently for their use to be economically efficient, especially in areas with warmer climates. They are similar to plastic bags, is made from corn or potato and dissolves in the earth after about 90 days. They are exempt from the tax however.
According to the Independent Authority for Public Revenue (AADE) the amount collected from the environmental tax in the first half of 2018 was 10,788,055 Euros. In practical terms this means that 360m plastic bags were used by consumers in supermarkets and other retail shops.
The environmental tax is public revenue collected by AADE and given to the Hellenic Recycling Organization (EOAN). The tax income is declared electronically by businesses every quarter and paid the following month.
The amount that has been given to the Hellenic Recycling Organization after the first six months of the new measure is 7.7m Euros. It is estimated that Greece is approximately halfway towards its target of reducing the use of plastic bags from 250 per person per annum to 90 by the end of 2019. Despite the satisfactory reduction, the recycling statistics for Greece are still poor - 82% of waste is buried and only 17 - 18% is recycled and 3.5 - 4% composted.
It is compulsory for reused 50-70mm plastic bags to be charged for but biodegradable plastic bags from renewable energy sources are not subject to environmental tax.
Greek manufacturers of plastic bags have already taken appropriate measures and are in compliance with the new legislation, manufacturing their products from 100% renewable materials.
Exempted shops
According to the legislation, the following are exempt from the tax:
- Plastic bags from kiosks and outdoor traders.
- Plastic bags from fruit & vegetable sections in supermarkets as they are considered to be wrapping material.
- Very thin plastic bags - less than 15mm - when they are necessary for health reasons or they are used to wrap loose food.
- Biodegradable and compostable bags. The technology for biodegradable plastics has not evolved sufficiently for their use to be economically efficient, especially in areas with warmer climates. They are similar to plastic bags, is made from corn or potato and dissolves in the earth after about 90 days. They are exempt from the tax however.
