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You are here: Home News Dutch News Belgians have binned the disposable bag
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28/07/2009Belgians have binned the disposable bag

Plastic bag usage in Belgium has fallen by 80 per cent since 2003.

The amount of people using disposable bags has fallen drastically in Belgium. The amount of eco-tax received by the state for the bags has also dipped. It was the idea of the former Environment minister, Bruno Tobback, to place an environmental tax on disposable bags in spring 2007, estimating a total income of EUR 130 million per year. 

Six months later, the state received EUR 400,000, a sum which tripled in 2008 to reach EUR 1.2million. During the first five months of 2009, however, only EUR 192,510 in eco-tax has been received by the state. 

According to the Finance minister, Didier Reynders, falling revenues indicate that consumers have changed their behaviour. He also estimates that one day the use of non-essential disposable bags could be banned. 

Le Soir



1 reaction to this article

Matt posted: 2009-07-28 15:26:27

Hardly surprising when the supermarkets aren't allowed to hand out plastic bags any more is it?

Of course now we have to buy plastic bags to use in our small bins and so on........

1 reaction to this article

Matt posted: 2009-07-28 15:26:27

Hardly surprising when the supermarkets aren't allowed to hand out plastic bags any more is it?

Of course now we have to buy plastic bags to use in our small bins and so on........

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