PT: Plastic bag tax takes effect

In February 2015 Portugal’s “green tax” on plastic bags took effect. The law created some confusion about its requirements, so the Ministry of Environment has published a FAQ document on how the law is being implemented.
The Portuguese tax per plastic bag is 0.10€ (0.08€ plus 23% VAT). It is applied to all plastic bags (polyethylene, biodegradable, oxo-degradable, compostable, etc.) less than 50 microns thick and having handles. Plastic bag producers and importers were required to begin collecting the tax from retailers and distributors on January 31. Merchants were required to begin collecting the tax from consumers on February 15 (Recycling Laws International, 19 March 2015).
Click here for the FAQ document (552 kB, in Portuguese).
Click here for the law (211 kB, in Portuguese).
With NVC MERGE (Members-only Environmental Regulations Guide) you can stay up-to-date with the environmental requirements for your packaging. MERGE is exclusively for NVC members and there are no costs involved.
Click here for more information about the NVC E-Workshop Sustainable Innovation in Packaging.

If you have any questions about this subject, please contact us: info@nvc.nl, +31-(0)182-512411. This item is also included in our monthly overview, the NVC Members-only Update.