Jerusalem: Israel plans to impose a steep purchase tax on disposable equipment to prevent its use and protect the environment, said government institutions on Monday.
“We are immersed in disposable plastic and we all see the troubled effect on the cleanliness of the soil and the quality of our lives,” said Minister of Environmental Protection Tamar Zandberg.
In a joint statement, the Ministry of Zandberg and the Ministry of Finance said the use of disposable equipment has doubled over the past decade in Israel and research shows that steep purchasing tax will cut use of 40%.
Exactly tax on plastic cups, plates, bowls, cutlery and straws, on local producers and imports, still have not been decided, the ministry said, adding that the increase is likely to apply to 2022.
“disposable plastic production is based on polluting fuel and Has a negative impact on the climate crisis, “Zandberg’s statement said.
The consumption of annual households of disposable plastic products is 7.5 kg per person in Israel, five times more than in the European Union, with sales of nearly 2 billion shekels ($ 608.5 million) per year, the ministry said.
Disposable products become waste which can last for thousands of years, the statement said, taking up space in a landfill, increasing the cost of waste and polluting the sea.