Europe consults public on possible plastic bag ban

The European Commission (EC) is considering a ban of plastic bags as one of several options to reduce the use of plastic carrier bags, and has launched a public consultation to help determine the issue.  

The problem to be solved? Each European uses an estimated 500 plastic bags per year, the EC said, and too much plastic is winding up in the Mediterranean Sea.

“We are looking at all the options, including a Europe-wide ban on plastic carrier bags,” said Janez Potocnik, European Commissioner for Environment.

The EC also wants input on how to increase the visibility of biodegradable packaging products and how to boost the biodegradability requirements for packaging.

The online consultation, which runs until August, can be found at this link.