On December 18, it was reported that Steffen Hebestreit, a spokesman for the German government, confirmed that the federal government aims to impose a fee on companies responsible for introducing plastics into the market. The expected consequence is that these companies may pass on the costs incurred to consumers. The move mirrors the EU's plastic tax to be implemented in 2021, which charges 80 euro cents per kilogram of non-recyclable packaging waste. Currently, the German government, along with several other EU governments, pays €1.4 billion in taxes from the treasury.
Since the beginning of 2023, plastic manufacturers and importers in Spain have been charged 45 euro cents per kilogram of plastic. Meanwhile, Italy will tax disposable packaging from 2024. According to the German report, the impact on the average consumer is expected to be the equivalent of paying a plastic tax of 30 euros per year. This initiative is in line with broader European efforts to address environmental issues and promote sustainable practices in packaging and waste management.
In 2011, Germany imposed a Green Dot tax on conventional plastic bags at 1.27 euros/kg, and exempted biodegradable plastic bags from the tax.
