Mario Tabone, Valletta
Need for review of plastic bags initiatives
Here are a few negative issues arising out of what is being suggested in the leaflet titled New Initiatives Regarding Plastic Bags issued by the VAT Department just over a week ago.
1. The principle of biodegradability/degradability is being completely ignored and forgotten just three years after being introduced, hence, all related advantages for society will be lost forever.
2. Loss of revenue from eco-tax + VAT currently payable on certified degradable polyethylene carrier bags, particularly those produced locally in accordance with the 2005 Eco-Tax Act.
3. Higher flexible-packaging overheads for retailers which will eventually be shouldered by the consumer, especially now when the economic situation is in such dire straits.
It is mainly the supermarkets that are in favour of charging the customer for plastic bags. The majority of all other retail outlets such as jewellery, fashionwear, footwear, giftware shops etc. would rather opt for a more expensive, less convenient and less environment-friendly means of shopping bags such as paper, than endure the embarrassment of charging the customer for a degradable plastic carrier bag.
4. Old stocks cannot be discarded. This will cause unnecessary cash-flow problems and wasted financial resources. The local market consists of hundreds, not millions, of consumers as in other large European countries. A minimum quantity of printed bags would last a normal retail outlet in Malta between 18 and 24 months. Therefore a similar phasing-out/in period of at least 24 months would be fair common sense and should be implemented instead.
5. Besides the actual cost of these plastic carrier bags, eco-tax and VAT have already been paid on existing stocks, particularly on those of local origin and in line with the 2005 Eco-Tax Act which has not yet been superseded and therefore remains the only official regulatory code in this regard.
The idea of refunding these taxes plus interest would prove to be time-consuming, costly and bureaucratic, hence the option of a 24-month transitional period should be considered more favourably.
6. The size of the suggested certification details to be printed on plastic bags is so large that no adequate space is left for creative and artistic advertising. Is it so imperative that this information is printed on both sides of the bag and/or to occupy such a large surface area?
7. Job redundancy will be self-inflicted on the local manufacturing industry that produces such bio/degradable plastic bags. This fact should be considered in the gloomy scenario of the current global recession where other factories, both local and foreign, are being compelled by necessity to shed their workforces or close down.
Let us hope that logic and sensibility will eventually prevail.
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JJ MELI
Feb 12th 2009, 10:02
@Mr. Mario Tabone: Waste ManagementUnit, introduced grey plastic bag, collected weekly containing paper, tins&plastics 4 recycle.
When introduced phoned them to giving them alternative ways to later buying of these bags at a price, I suggested this department to print advertisements on empty spaces of the bags and be given either free or purchased at a much reduced rate say €0.10 per packet of ten or more to cover the cost of selling them from supermarket, grocers and/or from stationers.
Old aged persons majority have low pensions rates and those on social benefits (karta rosa or saffra) cannot afford to buy these at the price as offered now. They might find it rather too expensive to buy and 60% won't buy them at such rates.
Department of the Environment UK; Food&Rural Affairs (Defra); Home Energy Efficiency Scheme (HEES) for all UK & Welsh Assembly Government have several million vulnerable people out of fuel poverty; installed energy efficiency measures to 5 million homes; They delivers energy efficiency improvements (bulbs&Or/plasticBags) to over 1,000 UK homes every day; and fits or repairs a heating system, alarms every minute of every working day. How about introduced FREE......
J Agius
Feb 11th 2009, 19:58
Some food for thought.....
We are already seeing people holding approx. 40x40 cms square non-biodegradable plastic bags from one corner, coming out of retail outlets. If these are a convenient replacement, who needs the old platic shopping bag anyway? What law will be passed next to also make these square lunch bags illegal? Shall we do away with plstic altogether? And why cannot we recycle?
John Meli
Feb 11th 2009, 18:33
Government under Waste Management, introduced grey plastic bag collection, collected every tuesdays with paper, tins and plastics for recycle.
When introduced I told them its a good idea but for a 100% success by giving the first free bags only. Now to buy these bags again is at a price, but I suggested this department to print advertisements on bags and given free or purchased at a much reduced prices say €0.10 per packet to cover the cost of selling it from supermarket, grocers and/or from stationers.
Our old aged persons have low pensions or those that are on social benefits (karta rosa or saffra) cannot afford to buy these on a fee, as otherwise they might find it rather too expensive.
Department of the Environment UK, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), the Home Energy Efficiency Scheme (HEES) in Wales for the Welsh Assembly Government have several million vulnerable people out of fuel poverty; installed energy efficiency measures to 5 million homes; They delivers energy efficiency improvements (bulbs) to over 1,000 UK homes every day; and fits or repairs a heating system, alarms every minute of every working day. How about introduced FREE......