The European Commission has proposed taking measures in order to reduce the use of plastic bags, arguing that they are extremely difficult to break down and remain in the environment for hundreds of years. What to do and what can be done in Moldova in this area – was the theme of a round table which was discussed by representatives of NGOs, central environment public authorities, entrepreneurs.

Today, the Ministry of Environment hosted a round table ‘Plastic bags – problems and solutions – a vision for Moldova’, organized within the project ‘Moldovas Zukunft Eingetütet’ (‘EcoBag Moldova’) and conducted by DAAD Moldova and EcoVisio. The event, supported by the Ministry of Environment in partnership with ‘EcoVisio’ NGO comes to help promote public ecological education for sustainable development. Thus, EcoVisio, with the intention to help facilitate a comprehensive, intense and practical speech for the prevention of waste, has initiated a constructive dialogue aimed at pooling efforts to find viable solutions for reducing the use of plastic bags at individual consumer’s level, business environment’s level and legal framework’s level.

 ‘In our society is desirable to have a lucid policy that promotes a European model of waste management, dynamic for present and future. For the implementation of the Association Agreement with the EU in Moldova and ensure a sustainable development, it is necessary a proactive involvement of all sectors: public sector, private sector and civil society. We have taken the first step … ‘- said Valeria Svart-Groger from ‘EcoVisio’ team.

In an interview from late last year for the magazine ‘Waste Management’, the Minister of Environment, Valentina Tapis, said that the central environmental authority takes concrete steps to address the issues vis-a-vis plastic bags, because they are a component of packaging waste and to be decided on replacing plastic bags with other types of innocuous packaging, such as the paper or fabric, it is necessary to take into account:

1.Plastic bags issue is an integral matter of packaging and packaging waste;

2.Partial solution of the problem addressed will be possible with the implementation of the Waste management strategy in Moldova for the years 2013-2027, approved by Government Decision no. 248 of 04.10.2013, and approval of the Law on waste and technical regulations on packaging.

‘For now, the focus on the problem of plastic bags comes to demonstrate the principles and general and specific strategic objectives, which are at the basis of waste management activities in Moldova, determined by the Waste Management Strategy and Action Plan for the implementation of the Strategy for the period 2013-2027.

Waste management is one of the major priorities for the development of Moldova. Prevention and reduction of waste generation is the first step in the hierarchy of waste management. Within this concept framework, plastic bags are one of the most visible and easily solvable problems’ – says Svetlana Bolocan, Head of pollution prevention and waste management Division within the Ministry of Environment.

Deputy Minister of Environment, Dorin Dusciac, informed the audience that annually, each EU citizen uses on average 198 plastic bags, which means a total of 100 billion bags. Most of them are thin shopping bags and thrown away, causing enormous environmental damage.

The EU proposal is addressed to the Member States to take measures to reduce the use of plastic bags, in particular the thin ones of 0.05 millimeters thick. The Commission says that they are the least reused as compared to thicker and more resistant plastic bags.

Measures taken by EU countries could mean additional charges for those who choose to carry their groceries in plastic bags or even disallow them. In the context of plastic bags use disallowance, the EU decision is welcomed as it will greatly reduce the negative environmental impact.

A more detailed report about the event on www.ecovisio.org.