ROMANIA: The law prohibiting the sale of plastic bags has been promulgated | Progresiv
The law prohibiting the introduction on the Romanian market of thin plastic bags with handle (as of July 1st 2018) and their sale (from January 1st 2019) was passed on Wednesday, April 4, by President Klaus Iohannis. 
The new law amends Law no. 249/2015 regarding the packaging and packaging waste management, with the purpose of transposing (EU) Directive 2015/720 of the European Parliament and the Council from April 29th 2015 amending Directive 94/62/EC regarding the reduction of thin plastic transport bags consumption.
The law also stipulates that the central public authority for environmental protection through the subordinated units as well as the executive authorities of the administrative-territorial units will promote information and education campaigns for the public and the economic operators concerning:
- Systems for the return, collection and recovery of packaging and packaging waste that are available to them;
- Their contribution to the reuse, recovery and recycling of packaging and packaging waste;
- The meaning of markings on existing packaging on the market;
- Appropriate elements of the packaging and packaging waste management plans;
- The harmful environmental impact of excessive consumption of thin plastic carrier bags
Countries like Italy, France, Denmark or Ireland have totally banned the use of plastic bags and have switched to the use of textiles that do not pose as much risk to the environment and to human and animal health.
