Poles cut plastic bag use to 23 a year, ministry says

Poles now consume an average of 23 plastic shopping bags annually, one of the lowest rates in the European Union, the climate ministry said on Thursday as the country marked International Plastic Bag-Free Day.

Photo:

Shutterstock/Emilija Miljkovic

A single bag takes 100–400 years to decompose and can trap insects or larger animals, State Forests spokeswoman Anna Choszcz-Sendrowska told Polish Press Agency, urging visitors to treat their visits to the woodlands “as guests” and take litter home.

Foresters removed more than 80,000 cubic meters of rubbish from Polish forests in 2024 – enough to fill about 840 semi-trucks – at a cost of PLN 34 million (USD 9.4 million), she said.

Since 1 January 2018 retailers must charge a PLN 0,2 (USD 0,06) recycling fee on most plastic bags, excluding ultra-light sacks under 15 micrometers used for hygiene or loose food.

From 1 January 2024, single-use plastic cups and food containers also carry levies of PLN 0,2 and 0,25 respectively.

The Chief Inspectorate of Environmental Protection says one ton of film can be remade into 55,550 bags, and the energy in each discarded bag could power a 60-watt bulb for 10 minutes.

(jh)

Source: PAP