Bulgaria Cracks Down on Plastic Bags Use

By introducing a fee on the use of plastic bags, the Bulgarian government hopes to motivate citizens to start using other types of packaging. Photo by BGNES

The Bulgarian government has increased the fee for the use of plastic bags, in an attempt to motivate citizens to gradually give up this type of packaging.

On Wednesday, the cabinet adopted amendments to the order for fixing the fee for products which use generates widespread waste.

The fee, which stood last year at BGN 0.15 per plastic bag, will be up to BGN 0.35 as of the beginning of October. It is expected to increase up to BGN 0.45 in 2013 and BGN 0.55 in 2014.

The change is intended to motivate citizens to cut down their consumption of such packaging that is not environmentally friendly.

The Bulgarian Environment Ministry was the first to propose the introduction of a fee for use of plastic bag as of 2011.

Initially the fee stood at BGN 0.15 per plastic bag in 2011 and now increases to BGN 0.35. The fee is expected to increase up to BGN 0.45 in 2013 and BGN 0.55 in 2014.

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