Israel drafts law to ban free distribution of plastic bags in supermarkets

27 February 2014

The Ministry of Environmental Protection (MoEP) in Israel has drafted a proposed law that will prohibit supermarkets from giving customers plastic bags free of charge. The legal process would begin with a campaign to inform the public about the ills of plastic bags, which cause major damage to both the land and the sea, are not recyclable, and cost the public an estimated NIS 80 million per year.
According to polls conducted by the ministry, more than 70% of Israelis support a ban on distribution of free plastic bags. The average Israeli uses 275 plastic bags per year. One-quarter of all bags are thrown away immediately after one use (News Release MoEP, 10 February 2014).
Click here for the press release.

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