Following the lead taken by industry association EuPC (Brussels / Belgium; www.plasticsconverters.eu) – see Plasteurope.com of 11.01.2011 – Britain’s Carrier Bag Consortium (CBC, Nottingham / UK; www.carrierbagtax.com) and the Packaging and Films Association (PAFA, Nottingham / UK; www.pafa.org.uk) also have raised their voices in protest against Italy’s decision to ban plastic bags – see Plasteurope.com of 05.01.2011.

“The science shows that the conventional lightweight plastic bag is so efficient that replacing it with heavier or degradable alternatives not only means more transportation and storage impacts but also risks increased greenhouse gas pollution as these alternatives eventually degrade,” commented CBC chairman Paul Marmot, echoing EuPC’s concerns that the Italian move contravenes EU law. Marmot said it was a “shame” the Italian government had not learned the lessons of Scotland’s failed plastic bag ban – for more detailed coverage, see Plasteurope.com of 18.10.2006.

Similar criticism was levelled by PAFA, whose chief executive, Barry Turner, said: “There are serious flaws in the arguments used against plastic bags and, with no scientific support for such moves, the unwarranted attacks on the plastics industry clearly contravene EU law.”