Armenia looks to ban plastic bags from 2022February 22, 2019 - 18:16 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - The Ministry of Nature Protection has unveiled a draft law prohibiting the free provision of plastic bags starting from July 1, 2019. A number of supermarkets have been selling plastic bags to customers for several years now but there is no law regulating the sphere for now. Under the new draft law, special taxes will be imposed for the sale of polyethylene bags from january 2020 which is aimed at a sharp reduction in use. The sale of plastic bags will be banned in 2022. The Ministry argues that the widespread use of polyethylene bags in trade and service sectors has led to the emergence of environmental problems. Plastic packages thrown into the environment are preserved for a long time and do not undergo biological decomposition, resulting in major pollution. The average period of use of polyethylene bags is 10-15 minutes, while their biodegradation takes more than 100-400 years. Top stories The number of state universities will be reduced from 23 to 8 by 2030, Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sport Zhanna Andreasyan has said. From September 21 to November 11, a total of 2,820 Russians registered at a place of residence in Armenia, the police has said. The situation on the contact line between Karabakh and Azerbaijan was relatively stable overnight, the Defense Army says. Defense Minister Suren Papikyan has visited the southern Armenian province of Syunik, the Defense Ministry reported on March 18. Partner news | Government reveals details from Pashinyan’s meeting in border village Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has met with a group of residents of a border village in Armenia’s northern Tavush province Narek Manasyan wins European Boxing Championships silver for Armenia Armenia’s Narek Manasyan (92kg) won Armenia’s second silver medal at the European Boxing Championships 2024 on April 28. Blinken urges Azerbaijan to continue negotiations with Armenia Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken has urged Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev to continue negotiations with Armenia. Pashinyan, Blinken talk Armenia-U.S. ties over the phone Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan had a phone conversation with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on April 28, Pashinyan’s office reports. |