The government has passed a regulation according to which sellers of plastic bags, over 50 microns thick, will pay a fee of five cents per piece, the Ministry of Ecology, Sustainable Development and Northern Development (MERS) announced.
MERS said that the Regulation on the fee paid by the seller of lightweight plastic carrier bags with a wall thickness of more than 50 microns was adopted at the proposal of the relevant Minister Damjan Ćulafić.
The regulation, as they explained, determines the method of calculating payments and the amount of fees for these types of plastic bags, with the aim of strengthening the plastic waste management system.
"The regulation stipulates that the fee is calculated based on a monthly report on the quantity of bags that the seller has placed in circulation, and the report is submitted to the Environmental Protection Agency, the administrative body responsible for environmental protection, no later than the fifth of the month," the statement reads.
MERS said that the fees are calculated by decision of the competent authority, and are transferred within 15 days from the date of issuance of the decision to a special account of the Environmental Protection Fund, in accordance with the regulations on the payment of public revenues.
Ćulafić recalled that, pursuant to the Law on Waste Management, the ban on the use of plastic bags with a thickness of 15 to 50 microns came into effect on October 20 last year.
"This measure immediately gave the first, very encouraging results. We recorded as many as 72 percent fewer plastic bags in landfills, sales in retail chains were reduced by half, all of which clearly indicates that the measures we are implementing are having an effect," said Ćulafić.
He noted that MERS, through a continuous campaign aimed at raising awareness about the harmful effects of single-use plastics, has significantly influenced the change in citizens' habits.
"As part of that campaign, we distributed ten thousand biodegradable bags, which further encouraged the switch to more sustainable alternatives," said Ćulafić.
He reminded that for plastic bags over 50 microns thick, sellers have so far paid a fee of three cents, and the funds collected by the Environmental Protection Agency on this basis are paid into the Environmental Protection Fund.
"This money will be directed towards new campaigns and educational activities, especially in the area of raising public awareness about the importance of reducing plastic waste," added Ćulafić.
According to him, the adoption of the Regulation continues with a clear and consistent policy of reducing the use of plastic bags, all with the aim of protecting our environment.
"From the adoption of the Waste Management Law, the State Waste Management Plan, through the ban on bags from 15 to 50 microns, to this new Regulation, we are taking step by step and recording measurable results in solving the decades-old problem of plastic waste," Ćulafić pointed out.
As he stated, it is encouraging that Montenegrin citizens are becoming increasingly aware.
"Today, we increasingly see plastic bags on the streets as a replacement for plastic bags, especially among young people, who are the carriers of change, but also our loudest critics and most responsible users. This is a clear signal that the culture of consumption is changing for the better and that together we are building a more sustainable Montenegro," concluded Ćulafić.
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