Kyrgyzstan plans to impose tax on plastic bags

Government of Kyrgyzstan plans to impose a disposal tax in import or sale of plastic bags in the country's domestic market. The Information Support Department of the Cabinet of Ministers reported.
A bill on amendments to the Code on Non-Tax Revenues was submitted to the Parliament. It was developed to prevent environmental pollution and reduce the amount of waste generated from packaging bags made of polymer and plastic materials.
The project provides for switch to use of paper bags through introduction of a recycling fee.
"The issue is extremely acute, since one-use packaging bags made of polymer and plastic materials in Kyrgyzstan are often used for domestic purposes, and then accumulate in solid household waste landfills. Due to the economic unprofitableness, these packages are not sorted, which leads to negative consequences of environmental pollution," the Cabinet notes.
At the same time, due to the compositional features, polymer and plastic bags cannot be decomposed, and when they are burned, persistent organic pollutants, such as dioxins and furans, are emitted into the environment. These pollutants are recognized as hazardous to the environment and human health.
"The proposed disposal fee is intended to compensate for the complexity of the disposal itself, its cost and environmental damage. Fees will be directed to the republican budget for centralized capital accumulation. It is planned to develop a waste management system in Kyrgyzstan at the expense of the disposal fee," the Government said.