Afedeco rejects the move, Pimeco wants more time for the measure to be applied (it is not due to come in until the start of 2018), and Pimem is in favour. They are agreed on one thing, though, and that is that the town hall hadn't sat down with them and informed them of the decision.
Rafel Ballester of Afedeco says that his association is against any prohibition and especially so when it has been arrived at without consensus. How many trees, he wonders, will need to be cut down in order to create paper bag substitutes. The association is also annoyed by the new fines related to rubbish that are envisaged under the bylaw. "Once more, this attacks a sector instead of there being measures which favour its activity, such as improving street cleaning, something which, it would seem, concerns the president of Emaya (Neus Truyol) rather less."
Pimeco's president, Bernat Coll, is in favour of increasing recycling and greater environmental care, but he believes that getting rid of plastic bags by the start of 2018 gives shops too little time. He is calling, therefore, for later introduction and for the opportunity to talk with the town hall about economical alternatives: ones which won't represent increased cost to small retailers.
Antoni Sampol, president of Pimem-Comerç, supports the decision and its defence of the environment and local business. His association, he says, will work with the town hall in seeking consensus among all those affected. He adds that he will be talking with the industrial wing of Pimem in order to find economical substitutes for plastic bags.
The bylaw would still allow plastic bags for reuse and for loose products, such as supermarket fruit and veg.
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There has been a charge for plastic here for several years actually.
Sorry but if Bernat Coll feels 15 months gives stores too little time to make the change over then there is something seriously wrong. Plastic bags are an abomination. While ultraviolet radiations will break down polyethylene, the resulting plastic particles are even more damaging than the plastic bag itself since they are far easier to ingest. I would like to invite anyone who believes plastic bags have a place in our society to join us on our weekly and monthly clean ups. They would soon change their minds. Sadly when environmental protection and economics clash, the latter usually wins. This is something that should have been implemented years ago and certainly something that should be beyond debate.
In Scotland we have been paying 5pence for every plastic bag used at supermarkets or department stores. Stronger "Lifetime" plastic bags can cost 20-50 pence but these are replaced by the store if they become damaged. The use of plastic bags has decreased as most people carry reusable bags.This is good for the environment as plastic doesn't deteriorate in landfill sites so the less plastic we use the better. I even pack my nylon fold-away shopper in my case every time I visit the island. It's a wonder the Mallorca Government haven't imposed this 5 cent tax on plastic bags!