Walloons ban disposable plastic bags

7 March 2007

BRUSSELS – The distribution of plastic bags for one-time use will be banned in the Walloon region from 2010. This is contained in an amendment that the majority parties PS (Socialist) and CDH (Humanist Democratic Centre) submitted to the draft bill on waste management that is currently being discussed in the committee for the environment in the Walloon Parliament.

Walloon MPs Carlo Di Antonio (CDH) and Joëlle Kapompole (PS) had submitted a proposed resolution in 2005 to introduce a similar ban starting in 2007. During the hearings the distribution sector indicated that significant efforts were being made to discourage customers from using disposable one-use bags.

The two MPs however have persisted and now succeeded in getting a vote on the ban by including it as an amendment to a bill from the Walloon government. The measure will be introduced gradually however. From 2010 large retailers will have to comply, smaller retailers won’t be required to stop handing out the bags until 2012.

Subject: Belgian news