http://unric.org/en/latest-un-buzz/29140-you-and-the-eu-vs-the-plastic-bag

YOU and the EU vs the plastic bag

Wednesday, 09 April 2014 10:32

What the EU is doing and how you can help

EU could radically reduce its use of disposable plastic carrier bags
over the next 4 years, under plans put forward by the European
Commission in November 2013. Under the proposal, EU countries are
required to discourage the use of lightweight plastic bags, in whichever
way they see fit. Options include taxing or banning the use of carrier
bags, or implementing a national reduction target. The European
Parliament voted on a resolution in January 2014, stating the most
hazardous plastics and certain plastic bags should be banned by 2020, as
part of an EU strategy to reduce plastic waste in the environment. The
EU should also introduce binding plastic waste recycling targets, MEPs
added.

Every European citizen currently uses 198 single-use plastic bags every
year on average, which represents 1 bag per day for each household. But
annual usage varies considerably across the EU, ranging from 4 per
person in Denmark and Finland to 466 in Poland, Portugal and Slovakia.