This measure can reduce the environmental benefits that were expected by the Government when introducing the measure in February.

Consumption of garbage bags in Portugal increased by over 40% since joining the law on plastic bags from supermarkets in February, realizes the public.

The Government had expected this change, however, this may prove to reduce one of the environmental benefits that this measure was intended.

The use of lightweight bags before free, decreased considerably. But there is a side effect: a revenue shortfall and redundancies in the industry.

“There is a large reduction of plastic bags from supermarkets. What appears now are bags of bulk, black, “explains the executive director of Reslantejo, which manages municipal waste, Susana Ramalho.

This is also carrying the Portuguese to dump the waste directly into the container without any bag, raising the problem of run-off, ie, polluting the environment, something that the government wanted to reduce. “There are very leached. The own collection of cars are dirtier, “says the coordinator of the technical area of ​​Tratolixo, Cristiana Santos.

With this measure the government hopes to raise 40 million euros.

[Source]