Bulgarian Government is imposing a new eco-tax in July, adding to the cost of retail plastic carrier bags in a bid to phase out their use in the country.Bulgaria's parliament has adopted amendments to an order fixing a charge for the bags, aimed at deterring their widespread use. Consumption of this packaging is high in the country and the measure is designed to help deal with a growing waste problem.
The progressive legislation is scheduled to impose a tax of 0.15 Bulgarian leva (€0.07) per plastic bag in 2011, increasing to 0.35 leva (€0.18) next year, to 0.45 leva (€0.23) and in 2013 and up to 0.55 leva (€0.28) a year later.
It was late last year that the country’s environment ministry began to draw up legislation aimed at dealing with the national proliferation of plastics packaging waste.
The Bulgarian parliament has also amended other refuse related orders, including other regulations on packaging and packaging waste, automotive waste, the treatment and transportation of waste from batteries and accumulators and the treatment of end of life electrical and electronic equipment.
But the proposed schedule for the clamp down on carrier bags was criticised by local businesses as being too short for manufacturers and retailers to adjust their operations, according to Bulgaria’s Dnevnik news agency.
The government has proposed that packaging waste recycling, which stood at just 30% in 2006, should increase to between 55% and 80% by 2014.
