Video: We Must Throw Plastic Bags Out of Our Lives, Says Pashinyan

As of January 1, the sale and free distribution of certain types of plastic bags has been banned at sales points, stated Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan during a government meeting.

Armenia's Minister of Environment Hakob Simidian noted that the law was passed in the spring of 2020 but is being enforced late to allow producers to adapt to the situation and change their production capabilities.

"Plastic and polyethylene items cause significant harm to the environment, and we believe this is a very important ban. Local government bodies must actively participate in this process and ensure the application of the law," said Hakob Simidian.

Pashinyan mentioned that this is the first step in this process and that, over time, we should completely abandon polyethylene and eliminate plastic bags from our lives. "People use these bags for a maximum of one to two hours, after which they end up in nature and cause significant damage," said the Prime Minister.