On Tuesday, June 1, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine voted in the second reading for a bill restricting the use of plastic bags.\u00a0Thin, ultra-thin and oxo-decomposable packages were banned and fined for their use.\u00a0However, the government has yet to determine who will handle the proper disposal of packages and the procedure for monitoring compliance with the law.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Kyiv. Ukraine. Ukraine Gate – June 01, 2021 \u2013 Ukraine News<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
What is forbidden
<\/strong>banned the use of fallen ultrafine, fine <\/a>and oksorozkladni plastic bags.\u00a0They can not be used in shops, restaurants and cafes.\u00a0In addition, the Council banned their distribution both free of charge and for a fee.
\u201cIt is very important that there is a restriction on the circulation of packages marked in the supermarket as biodegradable.\u00a0But these models are made with an additive that is banned in the EU.\u00a0They should have been banned a long time ago.\u00a0The ban is being introduced gradually and biodegradable packages are being offered as an alternative, \u201dsaid Iryna Myronova.
Packages that are prohibited by law must be withdrawn from circulation <\/a>and disposed of.\u00a0However, the law does not specify who should do it and how.
Are there exceptions the
law allowed the use of biodegradable packages.\u00a0These are bags that are made of plastic with natural impurities, such as starch.\u00a0These impurities accelerate the decomposition of packages under the action of oxygen, light and bacteria.
At the same time, the law allows the use of ultra-thin bags measuring 225 x 345 x 450 mm, in which fresh fish, meat or meat products, as well as bulk products and ice are packed or transported.
What biopackages should be
The law states that biodegradable packages must have a special label, which has yet to be approved by the Cabinet of Ministers.\u00a0Such marking can be only on eco-packages, other bags can be marked with the words “bio”, “biopackage”, “biodegradable”.
“Ukraine has capacity to produce biodegradable packages<\/a>, but there is no demand for them yet.\u00a0The ban on the distribution of conventional plastic bags, in addition to the extremely positive impact on the environment, will stimulate demand for the production of biodegradable bags, which will reduce their cost for the consumer, “- said in an explanatory note to the authors of the bill.
Who will control all this
The explanatory note states that the central authority dealing with consumer protection has control over the implementation of the law restricting the use of polyethylene.\u00a0These are the regional departments of the State Food and Consumer Service.\u00a0At the same time, the law does not specify whether a separate structure within the State Food and Consumer Service will deal with this and whether a separate controlling body will be created in the future.
and there will be fines
According to the results of the inspection, the State Food and Consumer Service will be able to impose administrative fines on violators, in particular:
\u2022 for the use of ultra-thin, thin or oxo-decomposable packages years from 17,000 to 34,000 UAH;
\u2022 for free distribution of plastic bags – from one hundred to two hundred non-taxable minimum incomes (from 1700 to 3400 UAH), and for repeated violations within three years – from 3400 to 8500 UAH.
To impose a fine, the State Food and Consumer Service must conduct a series of inspections and document the facts of violations.\u00a0Based on the results of each inspection, a separate act must be drawn up in two copies.\u00a0It must be signed by the employees of the controlling body and the violator<\/a>.\u00a0The State Food and Consumer Service must consider the act of violation within 15 days and issue a decision on a fine.
The fine must be paid within 15 days of receiving a copy of the decision.\u00a0After payment, the violator must send a copy of the receipt to the State Food and Consumer Service.\u00a0However, the violator has the right to appeal the decision in court.
And how it happens in other countries
European countries are gradually banning plastic.\u00a0Back in December 2018, the European Union approved a ban on the use of disposable plastic – cotton swabs, bags, beverage straws, plates and cutlery.\u00a0However, European countries impose their own restrictions at the state level.
For example, offering disposable plastic bags at checkouts in supermarkets has been banned in France and Germany.\u00a0And in the German town of T\u00fcbingen introduced a tax on the use of disposable utensils – coffee cups, pizza boxes,
In 2019, Moldova banned the use of plastic bags in stores.\u00a0Last year, disposable plastic bags were banned in China, Vietnam, Greece, Bulgaria, Romania, Tunisia, Italy, Israel, Denmark, Ireland, Portugal, Croatia, Hungary, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Austria, Switzerland, Spain, Latvia. Colombia and Taiwan.
When the law works
After the Verkhovna Rada, the law has yet to be signed <\/a>by the president.\u00a0Restrict the use of plastic bags for six months from the date of promulgation of the law.\u00a0At the same time, the ban on ultra-thin, thin and oxo-decomposable packages and fines for their use will work in nine months.\u00a0Permission to use plastic bags for packaging fish, meat and bulk products is valid until January 1, 2023.\u00a0And the law does not specify how these products will be packaged later.\u00a0In six to nine months, the Cabinet of Ministers has yet to adopt a number of normative documents necessary for the implementation of this law.<\/p>\n\n\n\n