Georgia to set regulations on plastic bag use

Georgia is going to introduce regulations on the use of plastic bags in 2018.

The country’s Parliament has begun discussing a legislative package which aims to reduce the number of plastic bags imported or produced locally.

The Environment Ministry, who is behind the bill, said that the need of imposing new regulations became clear after the use of plastic bags and its negative impact on the environment has been increased in recent years.

The agency said that 2014 statistics revealed that, on average, one Georgian citizen uses 525 plastic bags a year, while this number in, for example, Ireland is 14 and in Denmark and Finland is only four.

"Thanks to the new regulations, the use of plastic bags will be decreased in the country, also it will ensure the use of European standard biodegradable bags, all of which will significantly reduce environmental pollution and will improve the country’s ecological situation”, the Ministry said.

Under the new bill, after the changes come into force, those business operators who will still produce or import plastic bags that will be subject to regulation, will be fined with 500 GEL with the bags to be confiscated.

The Ministry said that consultations were held with the leading Georgian plastic bag producers, importers and resellers and they are ready for the changes, but will need time to adopt them so the new regulations are due to come into effect during the next year.