It risked remaining just a good circular economy proposal, but instead it has reached the starting line. The anti-plastic bonus wait for the platform of the Ministry of Ecological Transition for applications for admission. Two years after the Climate Decree that established it, another piece of the fight against plastic finally sees the light. It's another queue of Conte governments, to be clear. Ministers Cingolani and Giorgetti signed the implementing decree which recognizes a non-refundable grant up to 5 thousand euros to reduce waste production. A more substantial budget would probably have been needed to have more effective results, but the coverage ensured by the Draghi government is 40 million euros for 2021 and 2022.
The contribution is recognized to traders who will abandon plastic to sell food or detergents in bulk or on tap. The beneficiaries will have to use the funding to reorganize the shop, advertise, buy furniture and machinery. Put together, these interventions also take the form of a form of education against the indiscriminate use of plastic. Despite the many campaigns, plastic retail products are still very many. For the incentive, however, it is necessary to distinguish between neighborhood and medium-sized businesses.
The decree defines how neighborhood shops with a sales area not exceeding 150 square meters, also in relation to the resident population. Structured ones mean businesses that have an area between 150 and 1.500 square meters available, but always in relation to the resident population. Furthermore, for at least three years the operator who has received the contribution will not be able to change the conditions of sale of his products, ie he will no longer be able to sell disposable goods, under penalty of revocation of the bonus.
The Ministry of Ecological Transition will receive requests through the platform under construction. But we already know that, for expenses incurred in 2020, the application must be presented within 60 days of activating the platform. For 2021 expenses, the terms expire on 30 April 2022 and the documentation must, in any case, be validated by an accountant, a commercial expert, an employment consultant or a Caf. A system that is not light in truth, even if it is hoped that a good number of requests will arrive, in order to reconsider the sums allocated in Minister Cingolani's plans to fight against plastics.
