IK Industrievereinigung Kunststoffverpackungen e.V.
IK Industrievereinigung Kunststoffverpackungen e.V. : No carrier bag ban in Germany
This is the position represented by the IK Association of Plastic Packaging concerning the recent initiative from Brussels. According to the EU Environment Commissioner Mr. Potočnik, each EU member is to have the right to independently decide on bans in order to curb the amount of light plastic carrier bags. This proposal is justified by an increased pollution of the seas.
Germany has had an excellent disposal and recycling system for a long time. Today, 98% of all plastic packaging is disposed of within this system, a high quota which has officially been confirmed by the EU commission. The successful implementation of this disposal concept has largely been achieved thanks to the highly motivated participation of German consumers. German plastic bags therefore do not end up either in the European seas nor do they constitute a littering problem on dry land. Against this background the association regrets current media reports, which did not paint a very differentiated picture. On the contrary, reports created the impression that there are considerable problems with the disposal of plastic carrier bags in Germany. IK however sees possibilities for optimization in the area of disposal systems in some countries adjacent to the sea. A further suggestion by the EU commission to reduce the use of plastic carrier bags by means of ‘penalty taxes’ as an alternative, is not very constructive. ‘Only suitable disposal systems in combination with educating the population will prevent marine litter on a large scale,’ IK managing director Ulf Kelterborn states. IK feels that the fact that certain groups within Germany still call for bans despite comprehensive disposal has purely political reasons. Demands for bans by plastic opponents also give the consumer the feeling of doing something ‘great’ for the environment. Studies show, however, that the environmental impact of plastic carrier bags is comparatively negligible. Finally, the association points out that a country specific approval of product bans as suggested by the current EU proposal amongst other things, infringes against the principal of free movement of goods as stated in the original EC contract and therefore is not legally sound. Some European carrier bag manufacturers are already checking the potential for lawsuits.With over 300 members, the German IK Association of Plastic Packaging, IK Industrievereinigung Kunststoffverpackungen e.V., is the largest trade association within the plastics packaging industry in Europe. IK represents the lion’s share of the German plastics packaging market, accounting for more than 4 million tons of plastic packagings and films. End of Media Release Issuer: IK Industrievereinigung Kunststoffverpackungen e.V. Key word(s): Associations 07.11.2013 Dissemination of a Press Release, transmitted by DGAP – a company of EQS Group AG. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. DGAP’s Distribution Services include Regulatory Announcements, Financial/Corporate News and Press Releases. Media archive at www.dgap-medientreff.de and www.dgap.de |
238527 07.11.2013 |