Waste

Albania bans single-use plastic bags

Albania bans single use plastic bags

Photo: Naja Bertolt Jensen on Unsplash

Published

June 1, 2022

Country

Comments

0

Share

Published:

June 1, 2022

Country:

Comments:

0

Share

It is forbidden to produce, import and sell disposable plastic bags in Albania including those that are defined as oxo-degradable or oxo-biodegradable.

After initial failures, attempts on a smaller scale and two years of delays single-use plastic bags are banned in Albania. The amendments to the law on integrated waste management, passed by parliament in March, came into force today.

According to the new rule, it is forbidden to produce, import and sell single-use plastic bags including those that are defined as oxo-degradable or oxo-biodegradable. The legislation excludes those with a thickness of at least 70 microns that can hold a minimum of ten kilograms. They can’t be smaller than 50 times 24 centimeters in size.

The government estimated that pollution would be lowered by 8% within two years with the new rule

The fines are between EUR 4,200 and EUR 12,500 and those who repeat the violation will lose the operation permit, Minister of Tourism and Environment Mirela Kumbaro said. The ministry estimated that pollution would be lowered by 8% within two years.

A study from 2016 found that people used three single-use plastic bags per day, translating to 3.2 billion per year or 26,300 tons. Prime Minister Edi Rama said the law opens a new era and that it protects the country and children.

So-called oxo-degradable and oxo-biodegradable bags aren’t properly disposed of in practice

The European Commission has banned oxo-degradable and oxo-biodegradable plastics. Critics claim such material can only be broken down in controlled conditions for microorganisms and fungus to take over and that in landfills and water it just turns into microplastics and releases chemicals and metals (even cobalt!) from the additives that are supposed to accelerate the process.

Albania doesn’t have any recycling facilities that can properly expose oxo-degradable and oxo-biodegradable plastics to oxygen. Even if it did, the material would probably need to be collected separately, while in practice such disposable bags go to dumpsters or end up in nature and the sea.

Comments (0)

Be the first one to comment on this article.

Enter Your Comment
Please wait... Please fill in the required fields. There seems to be an error, please refresh the page and try again. Your comment has been sent.

Related Articles

global-recycling-day-2024

Global Recycling Day 2024 to celebrate #RecyclingHeroes

16 March 2024 - Global Recycling Day 2024 is putting the spotlight on people, places, businesses and activities that showcase the importance of recycling

Solar Startup Award 2024 Solar Materials recycling

Solar Startup Award 2024 goes to Solar Materials for recycling tech

07 March 2024 - The startup has developed a recycling technology that allows the recovery of raw materials from solar panels at a 98% rate

lopare lithium petition protest ban

Lopare municipality demands from Republic of Srpska to reject lithium project

23 February 2024 - Head of the Municipality of Lopare Rado Savić has submitted a petition to the National Assembly of the Republic of Srpska

sarajevo urban mobility MOBILITIES for eu project

Sarajevo to develop green mobility as part of group of European cities

22 February 2024 - Together with Madrid, Dresden, Ioannina, Trenčín, Espoo and Gdańsk, the capital of BiH strives to reduce pollution and improve citizens' health