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Workshop on the regulation of plastic and biodegradable bags
The issues related to the strengthening capacities of the self-governing bodies in the control of regulation of plastic and biodegradable bags were discussed at the meeting in Kutaisi.
“In recent years, the use of plastic bags has been dramatically increased across the world, including Georgia, creating a significant problem to the environment, as far as the environment in most cases is polluted by waste generated from the consumption of plastic products, particularly contamination is mostly caused by single-use plastic bags in our daily life, most of which are not reusable. Against this backdrop, it is of utmost importance to replace the plastic bags with the biodegradable bags. This process is monitored by the local self-government bodies in different market and trading areas. Therefore, meeting with them and talking about the control mechanisms is very important. In addition, it is our social responsibility to abandon plastic bags and protect the environment from pollution ”said the Deputy Minister of Environmental Protection and Agriculture, Solomon Pavliashvili.
The Governor of Imereti region, Zviad Shalamberidze spoke about the importance of the meeting.
“Georgia has banned the use of plastic bags, which is very encouraging. It is important, that the representatives of the Department of Environmental Supervision of the Ministry, which undertake active control over bag producers share their experience to the representatives of the relevant departments of the local self-government”- said the Governor.
The technical regulation prohibiting the import, production and sale of plastic including oxo degradable / degradable plastic bags throughout Georgia entered into force in 2018 and became fully effective in 2019 (Government Decree N472 of 14 September 2018).
According to the technical regulations, the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture, Department of Environmental Supervision (control of bag producers), Ministry of Finance (control over import of bags) and local self-government (control of bags sale) are implementing the control on violations within their competence.