On January 20th, it was reported that the Italian Chamber of Deputies' Environment Committee is currently seeking opinions from industry stakeholders on a proposed bill, the core objective of which is to further restrict the commercial circulation of non-compostable single-use plastic bags.
In fact, Italy passed a relevant law as early as 2007, which officially came into effect in 2011, and three years later clarified the corresponding penalties; in 2018, this ban was extended to ultra-thin fruit and vegetable plastic bags.
However, nearly 15 years later, the ban on the sale of traditional shopping plastic bags has only been partially enforced, which has harmed the interests of compliant businesses and impacted the bioplastics supply chain.
According to statistics from the industry association Assobioplastiche, one in four plastic bags circulating in the Italian market is a non-compliant product, with the annual total amount of violations exceeding 20,000 tons. Violations take many forms, including selling plastic bags lacking legal certification (biodegradability, compostability, recyclability, and related labeling certifications), affixing counterfeit composting certification marks, and some products, after obtaining certification, reducing production costs by adding polyethylene to raw materials, thus violating certification standards.
Previously, Italy had a number of similar issues, frequently pointing the finger at China. The CEO of Novamont claimed that counterfeit compostable plastics exported from China to Italy were present. In November 2024, Italy seized 9 tons of non-compliant plastic bags imported from China! The Italian biodegradable company Novamont, which monopolized the market, was fined over €32 million.
The main measures of the new bill:
This bill, considered by the Chamber of Deputies' Environment Committee, includes two key amendments aimed at increasing control over the production and sale of non-compliant plastic bags:
*Expanding the scope of the ban: In addition to prohibiting sales, for the first time, the possession of thin plastic bags that do not comply with legal regulations is included in the ban. An exception is that if an order can be provided proving that the product was produced specifically for the export market, the ban can be waived.
*Penalties: Whether for sale or illegal possession, violations will face a uniform penalty of €2,500 to €25,000, covering all relevant entities in the supply chain.
*Strengthened disclosure obligations: Manufacturers, importers, and sellers of plastic bags must issue formal declarations to end users (retailers), clearly indicating the legally permitted and prohibited uses of the product.
The relevant hearings are still underway. After hearing opinions from the Italian Plastics Recycling Association (Corepla) and recycling companies, relevant associations and representatives from the bioplastics supply chain will be invited to participate in the hearings in the coming days.
