The price of plastic bags in Bulgaria is going up significantly, effective October 1 2012.
Only multiple-use plastic bags will be exempt from the so-called eco tax to be paid by manufacturers. All other plastic bags will cost anywhere between BGN 0.5 and BGN 1 over increased expenses for their production, including the eco tax, Sofia News Agency said.
The tax exemption for the multiple-use bags is the result of negotiations between manufactures and the Ministers of Finance and of Environment and Waters, Simeon Djankov and Nona Karadzhova.
The agreement was reached Saturday on the heels of protests of the companies making plastic bags and warnings the move will lead to the layoff of anywhere between 3 000 and 6 000 workers. Despite the agreement, people from the business still alert that the changes in the requirements will end up being detrimental for a number of companies over the lack of equipment.
