In the past, merchants used to wrap goods in paper and we carried them in cloth or sometimes leather bags. Until the plastic ones "came into fashion." They prevailed mainly because they are light, strong, and cheap. But not ecological. And somehow that was forgotten. It is even threatening that in a few years there will be more plastics than fish in the oceans. We talked about the law that tries to change this trend with Mgr. Dávid Bortňák, waste management manager at Milk-Agro.
What is new in the law on packaging and waste and what was the reason for the change?
Members of the National Council of the Slovak Republic approved an amendment to the Waste Act from the Ministry of Environment, which imposed a charge on lightweight plastic bags at purchases effective from January 1, 2018. Sellers must charge for them and also alternatively provide other types of bags or bags intended for repeated use.
The amendment has a single goal – to reduce consumption and thus the production of lightweight plastic bags. In a simple way – by charging. According to information from the European Commission, an average Slovak consumes 466 plastic bags per year. Most end up in municipal waste, which represents a significant burden on the environment.
What does "lightweight plastic bags" mean?
Plastic bags are divided into bags with wall thickness over 50 μm, lightweight plastic bags with thickness from 15 to 50 μm, and very lightweight plastic bags with wall thickness less than 15 μm.
Do lightweight plastic bags have to be charged, while bags with wall thickness over 50 micrometers can be given for free?
According to the law, yes. But thicker and larger bags were not given for free even before. Previously, only very lightweight (microplastic) bags were not subject to charging. Now all bags must be charged.
Does the law allow any exceptions?
Yes, the only exception when these bags can be provided for free is the category of very lightweight plastic bags if they are used for immediate packaging of food for hygienic reasons. For example, unpackaged bakery products, fruits, vegetables...
However, this exception comes with a new obligation to also have an alternative to the lightweight plastic bag. That means a bag with a different wall thickness or made from another material, such as paper.
When we say bag, we usually imagine one with "handles" to hold...
The law does not distinguish whether it is a simple pouch or a bag. It is a plastic packaging provided to consumers at the point of sale.
And what if a buyer at the checkout asks: "give me one more microplastic bag"?
It is still about communication with the customer. We must explain that according to legislation we must charge for this bag, and also inform them to start valuing the environment and to think about what will happen to the bag after immediate use.
Does the law specify the amount of the charge?
The law states that bags must be charged but does not specify the exact amount. It is up to the seller to set prices for different types of plastic bags.
It's a pity that environmental education has to "go through money"...
Of course, it is financially demanding. All producers and packers, within extended producer responsibility, must pay fees for packaging placed on the market. As a company, we pay for every packaging we put on the market, whether plastic, paper, composite, or other commodities. Fees are high. Recently, another obligation was added: we also pay for so-called non-packaging. This category includes flyers and newspapers distributed to households, which also end up in municipal waste. We must record their weight and pay fees to our Producer Responsibility Organization, which ensures compliance with mandatory recovery and recycling targets set by the European Union for packaging and non-packaging commodities.
Have you considered biodegradable plastic bags?
Certainly, that would be a very suitable alternative. But biodegradable bags are more expensive, and in a competitive environment, the company must also consider economics. I will definitely propose this option.
Maybe it should move towards paper bags. Paper is recyclable, biodegradable, and also burnable.
Yes, it is ecological. Regarding packaging materials, glass is also ecological because it can be 100% recycled. We considered going into such products, but with current pricing, it is economically unsustainable, especially since fees for packaging placed on the market are based on weight. Our costs have increased about tenfold.
Nevertheless, I think this amendment is good because plastics are flooding our planet. Some African countries have completely banned plastic bags. As Minister of Environment Sólymos said, the lightweight plastic bag has become a symbol of senseless environmental burden and quickly becomes waste. Customers often use bags for less than an hour.
Milk-Agro is known not only for its engagement in packaging separation but also for consumer education, which starts already in elementary schools...
We want to further raise awareness of our shared responsibility for the environment because environmental education is fundamental. The law also prioritizes waste prevention at the top of the waste management hierarchy. We regularly inform people, and it should start with young people. This is already happening in Slovakia; waste companies, cities, and PROs conduct education.
From our activities, I would mention the long-standing school competition "Recycle and Win," where children collect packaging from multilayer composite materials (tetrapaks) and aluminum lids. They create fantastic artworks from packaging, which we then exhibit and reward. I want to support them in this effort and ask them to value the environment they live in and participate in its improvement. Separate collection is a great start.
