It was only a matter of time before the European Parliament nodded off the European Commission’s proposal – dating back to 4 November 2013 (see Plasteurope.com of 06.11.2013) – to curb the use of lightweight barrier bags among its 28 EU member states. About four months and what seems like endless debates later – including statements in favour and against the proposed legislation (for details, see Plasteurope.com of 08.11.2013) – the parliamentarians have now signed off on the bill, the brainchild of EU environment commissioner Janez Potocnik.

In a press release dated 11 March, the EU’s Environment Committee voted 44 to 10, with 6 abstentions, in favour of draft rules that will see the consumption of “most common and polluting plastic bags” reduced by 80% by 2019. That goal is to be achieved by a mix of taxes and levies as well as market restrictions and bans. The parliament also recommended that member states implement mandatory pricing for plastic bags used in the food and non-food sectors, a move aimed at curtailing “excessive consumption”.

Arguing that lightweight plastic bags, with a thickness of less than 50 microns, are less reusable than thicker ones and also more prone to become waste or to be discarded into the open environment, the MEPs argued that their use be reduced by at least 50% by 2017, and by 80% by 2019. The bill, which will be put up for a vote in mid-April at the EU’s plenary session, also recommends that plastic bags used to wrap foods be replaced by recycled paper or biodegradable and compostable bags. With a view towards the latter, MEPs also called for an amendment to the requirements on compostable and biodegradable packaging.

By the time this article went to press, European Bioplastics (Berlin / Germany; www.european-bioplastics.org) was the first lobby organisation to respond to the proposed legislation. The group, which represents the interests of the European bioplastics industry, said it supported the outcome and the new provisions on biodegradable and compostable plastic bags.