The government’s new scheme, forcing retailers to sell bags for a minimum 15c eco-contribution, plus VAT, for all types of plastic carrier bags, has come under fire by practically everyone except the Chamber of SMEs (GRTU) – which Resources and Rural Affairs Minister George Pullicino described as “exemplary partners”.

It is unfortunate that the government has so far failed to launch an extensive education and information campaign to bring people to understand that the eco-contribution should not be considered merely as another tax. This was particularly evident on seeing that many retailers opted for plastic bags without handles, which are exempt from eco-contribution.

Despite the government’s insistence that its intention is to reduce, and possibly eradicate the use of plastic bags, even before the scheme was introduced on Sunday, it was clear that its aim would not be reached.

Over the past few days, retailers have been trying to find a way out of the new scheme, generously dispensing plastic bags without a handle, and some even tearing the handles off plastic carrier bags currently in stock.

Most retailers do not have an interest in charging consumers about 18c, especially for a small buy of, say e2 or e3.

But some retailers, particularly supermarkets, have been lobbying heavily in favour of a tax on all types of carrier bags, resisting the introduction of the expensive, but environment friendly biodegradable bags on the local market.

By selling plastic bags, rather than dispensing them for free, supermarkets have a lot to gain financially, and the GRTU has made sure that that gain is made.

Clearly, they have been trying to divert attention by portraying themselves as being “green”, granting consumers the possibility to invest in durable, reusable bags.

Ideally, a proper education campaign would have informed consumers that when it is absolutely inevitable to use plastic bags, they should use more environment friendly bags than conventional plastic bags, such as degradable and biodegradable bags.

Not only did the government fail to do this, but it also failed to introduce a tax incentive to encourage the use of the more environment friendly plastic bags instead of conventional plastic bags that take hundreds of years to degrade.

There is no European standard for degradable bags as yet, but biodegradable bags are regulated by European standard EN 13432 and other international standards.

Biodegradable bags are made of polymers that degrade, or decompose, when exposed to air, water or sunlight. Some are fully compostable, meaning that they would break down to organic material suitable for plant growth.

As he had done on previous occasions, during a recent press conference, Minister Pullicino mentioned a child who attended a sea turtle-release event.

He said he was impressed that the boy had waded into the water to pick up a plastic bag, after learning that sea turtles choke on them, mistaking them for jellyfish.

Children are being provided with essential information and education about the importance of the environment we live in, but a proper education campaign for consumers is absolutely necessary, otherwise people should not be blamed for simply perceiving the eco-contribution as another tax.

Unfortunately, neither the Labour Party, nor Alternattiva Demokratika have put enough political pressure on the government to improve the measure to reduce the use of plastic bags, and their criticism of the new scheme has so far proven weak.

Labour’s main spokesman for the environment, Leo Brincat, has written and spoken about the issue, but more could have been done.

Both parties said the government should encourage the use of biodegradable bags, but they did not go into ways of avoiding all the loopholes that come with introducing such a measure.

As for alternatives to plastic bags, undoubtedly the most environment friendly solution would be the use of durable bags made from cloth or canvas, for instance. Education is undoubtedly the key.