Bill to ban and cut single-use plastics

Automatic summary, not yet reviewed

1. The bill would ban giving out free plastic bags in stores starting July 1, 2018, and from January 1, 2020 it would also ban light and very light bags, except compostable ones, and fragmentable bags. Bags 50 microns or thicker would need at least 30% recycled plastic.
2. From January 1, 2020, selling single-use plastic plates, cutlery, cups, mugs and food trays would be banned, unless they are compostable under standard UNE EN 13.432:2000.
3. It would also ban products containing microplastics or nanoplastics, non-reusable lighters, razors, cartridges and printer or copier toner, single-use items in bars and restaurants for on-site consumption, and non-recyclable coffee capsules. Wet wipes, tampons and balloons would need labels warning about their environmental impact.
4. Tap water would be promoted: selling bottled water would be banned in public buildings, vending machines would need to come with a free drinking water fountain, and bars would have to offer free tap water.
5. Supermarkets and large stores would have to sell reusable bags in visible places and stop selling plastic-packaged food products that they also sell in bulk.
6. The penalty regime classifies violations as very serious, serious or minor, and the Government would push for a tax on plastic manufacturers and distributors to discourage production.

Who it affects

• Stores and consumers: Free plastic bags would no longer be given out and some would be banned from sale.
• Bars and restaurants: They could not use single-use plastic items for on-site consumption and would have to offer free tap water.
• Supermarkets and large stores: They would have to sell reusable bags and drop plastic packaging for products sold in bulk.
• Public administrations: They could not sell bottled water in their buildings and would prioritize reusable materials in purchases.
• Plastic manufacturers and distributors: They could pay a specific tax on their production or distribution.

Words worth knowing

Compostable (compostable)

Material that breaks down naturally into compost, under a specific technical standard.

Micras (microns)

Thousandths of a millimeter, used to measure the thickness of plastic bags.

Microplásticos (microplastics)

Tiny plastic particles, either made that way or formed when larger pieces break up.

Sistema de depósito, devolución y retorno (SDDR)

Deposit-return system: you pay extra when buying a container and get it back when you return it.

Responsabilidad ampliada del productor (extended producer responsibility)

The maker's duty to handle its products once they become waste.

It summarizes the text as it was introduced. It is written by artificial intelligence and may contain mistakes: the official text is what counts. Read the official text · How we make summaries