Use of Plastic Bags to Be Prohibited in Armenia

As per the decision of the Armenian government today, from January 1, 2022, the use of plastic bags and packages with a thickness of up to 50 microns will be prohibited in trade and service points across Armenia. The Minister of Environment, Erik Grigoryan, noted that 120 countries are already implementing processes of limitation, and this phenomenon will become widespread.

“Since this discussion started, significant changes have been observed. Two years ago, it was unusual for people to refuse plastic bags in supermarkets, but now it is viewed as normal,” said the minister.

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan urged citizens to start reducing the use of such bags from today. “They can be found decorating the edges of roads, our sidewalks, and trees. I call on everyone to use reusable bags as little as possible, especially since we've had such culture. I believe that if there are producers, they will be utilized. The Deputy Prime Minister says this is a good indicator of ensuring transparency, so officials should now go shopping with reusable bags,” joked the Prime Minister.

The draft states that the average use period of plastic bags with a thickness of up to 50 microns is 10-15 minutes, while it takes over 400 years for them to decompose in nature. International scientific research organizations have already published data proving the presence of microplastics not only in water and soil resources but also in living organisms and food. Microplastics have even been found in raindrops.

The water areas of the Republic of Armenia are polluted with used plastic products, including polyethylene packages and their residues, near recreation and tourism areas. Areas near the basins of Yerevan, Gegharkunik, Lori, Armavir, Kotayk, and Shirak regions are polluted with used polyethylene packages and/or their residues, where significant accumulations of plastic waste are present along with natural objects and areas near recreation and tourism sites. According to the assessments by the OSCE, plastic containers, bottles, and bags are the main pollutants of water in Armenia.