2023-09-13 22:39:57
In Sweden, the tax on plastic bags, which was only introduced in 2020, will be abolished. “We are convinced that Swedes use plastic bags sensibly in their everyday lives and there is no reason why they should be more expensive,” Environment Minister Romina Pourmokhtari told broadcaster SVT on Wednesday. The tax also leads to unnecessary costs and increases the consumption of alternative products. It will no longer apply from November 2024.
In 2020, the then Social Democratic government introduced a levy of three crowns (0.25 euros) per bag in order to meet EU requirements for the consumption of single-use plastic. Bag consumption actually fell significantly: in 2019 it was 74 plastic bags per year per inhabitant, in 2022 it was only 17. The EU is aiming for 40 bags per capita.
Manfred Lindinger Published/Updated: , Recommendations: 14
The conservatives have been governing Stockholm since last year with the support of the right-wing populist Sweden Democrats. Last week, the government caused criticism from environmentalists and the opposition by announcing that it would reduce taxes on diesel and gasoline.
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