Stop plastic bags and go for forms of promotion for the conversion of plants: with 211 votes in favour, 29 against and 32 abstentions, the Senate floor approved the Environment decree in third reading, which thus became law.
In essence the marketing of non-biodegradable plastic shopping bags has an end. By the end of the year, the government is called to issue the decree for the marketing of disposable bags compliant with EU standards. So there is time until December to dispose of the non-compliant bags. Then, "starting from 31 December 2013, the marketing of bags that do not comply with the provisions is punished with the administrative fine of the payment of a sum from 2.500 to 25.000 euros, increased up to four times the maximum if the violation of the prohibition concerns large quantities of bags for take-away or a value of the goods exceeding 20% of the offender's turnover".
As a consequence of an agenda, presented by the senator of the pd Francesco Ferrante and the colleague of the pdl Andrea Fluttero and accepted by the government, the executive will establish that the only reference parameter for the marketing of bags must be the EU standard (13432 of 2002) considering products that will not conform or those that are not thick enough to actually be reusable outlawed. "The government also - adds Ferrante - has accepted the possibility of bringing forward the deadline of 31 December 2012 for issuing the decree, which would certainly be positive for the environment and which would have the favor of the citizens, who have now filed the experience of old polluting plastic bags”. Not marginal detail: in the decree that the government will have to issue, "forms of promotion of the reconversion of existing plants" may be envisaged.
In Italy it is estimated that around 300 tons of plastic bags are produced each year, equal to 430 tons of oil, with a CO2 emission of about 200 thousand tons. A plastic bag placed in the environment takes over 400 years to be destroyed, while the new shopper is biodegradable.
