2018/0388/LV
EC/EFTA
LV Lettland
  • S00E - UMWELT
2018-10-31
2018-08-03

Plastic carrier bags, light plastic carrier bags, very light plastic carrier bags, oxo-degradable plastic carrier bags.

Draft law "Amendments to the Packaging Law"

Transposition of the definitions of Directive 2015/720/EU:

The draft law transposes the 2015/720/EU definitions of “plastic carrier bags”, “lightweight plastic carrier bags”, “very lightweight plastic carrier bags” and “oxo-degradable plastic carrier bags”.

Ban on the handing out of free plastic carrier bags at sales outlets:

As of 1 January 2019, at the sales outlet the packer shall:

- not hand out free plastic carrier bags to consumers except very lightweight plastic carrier bags;

- make the consumers aware of the need to reduce the consumption of plastic carrier bags, of the alternative types of packaging available at the sales outlet and the possibility of using reusable bags or other packing.

It is provided that as of 1 January 2025 the packers at sales outlets should replace light plastic carrier bags, except very light plastic carrier bags, by packaging made from paper and cardboard or other natural fibre and bio-plastic materials.

The draft law applies restrictions not only to light plastic carrier bags, but to all types of plastic carrier bags irrespective of the thickness of the material. An exception will apply only to very light plastic carrier bags (thickness of material up to 15 microns) that are necessary for hygiene purposes or the primary packaging of loose food when it helps reduce food wastage. These bags will continue to be available to the consumers at sales outlets for free.