The case for taxing plastic

With the help of the TAXEDU platform, students and teachers from all around Europe are learning about the role environmental taxes can play in overcoming a range of environmental problems. One such issue is plastic waste.

Plastic is everywhere and we can’t seem to live without it. The demand for plastic products is on the rise in Europe, according to the European Environment Agency Report (No 2/2019). 

Europe’s total demand for plastic reached 52 million tonnes in 2017. This is 15 % of global demand. Single-use plastic bags, which have a very serious impact on the environment, are among the most common littered items destroying our ecosystem.

Plastic bags are primarily made from fossil fuel. As such, they can remain in the environment for hundreds of years. They are a major source of pollution both on land and in our oceans and can be fatal to our wildlife. 

There have been many reported cases of animals being entangled in plastic bags or mistaking them for food. A lot of energy is also used to produce plastic bags. 

Plastic bag taxes around Europe

Understanding the importance of plastic bag reduction, many countries across Europe have implemented regulations in the form of environmental taxes also known as green taxes to protect the environment. 

In Denmark, for example, the introduction of green taxes on packing and plastic bags saw plastic consumption reduce from approximately 800 million bags to 400 million. 

In Greece, the introduction of a mandatory environmental fee per lightweight plastic bag has resulted in a reduction of up to 80 % in large stores and 60 % in other stores. 

In Portugal, a government tax on plastic bags in 2015, as part of their green taxation reform, led to a reduction in plastic bags at stores and supermarkets by 90 %. 

Since 2011 in Bulgaria, a tax on plastic bags was imposed on producers and importers. This was subsequently passed on to retailers and consumers, resulting in a decline in bag consumption by more than half in the first month of the tax. 

These are just some examples of how countries in Europe have tackled the issue of plastic bags. 

TAXEDU goes green

The TAXEDU digital platform is packed with information and resources for students to learn more about environmental taxes and how they protect the environment. 

Students can watch the microlearning clip “Can taxes help protect the environment?” It explains environmental taxes and how these protect the environment. 

Teachers can find fresh ideas on how to incorporate this clip into their lesson at the Teachers’ Corner. This has a range of multilingual teaching material including detailed lesson plans, story boards, microlearning and e-learning resources which aim to enrich tax-related lessons.  

Thanks to the TAXEDU portal, learning and teaching tax-related topics, such as environmental taxes, is easier and more enjoyable!