Plastic products can be used in thousands of ways, but their irresponsible consumption has led to consequences, many of which are only now becoming visible. Although plastic bags represent only a small percentage of all plastic waste they are, due to their ubiquity and the fact that they are free of charge, the perfect reflection of the aforementioned irresponsible consumption. For these reasons, a number of countries have started to take measures aimed at reducing the consumption of plastic bags. A seemingly simple solution is complicated by the fact that each measure has its own advantages and limitations, which is why a reduction in consumption cannot be achieved only with one measure but with their combination. Adding to the complication is the plastics industry’s opposition to any limitation on the consumption of plastic bags. In order to successfully reduce the consumption of plastic bags, a joint and coordinated practice will be needed at all levels, from production to consumption, and from all intermediate players. This approach was chosen by the European Union, which focuses not only on production and consumption, but also on the remaining parts of the life-cycle of plastic bags. At the same time, they are also aware of the fact that plastic bags are only part of the problem, and therefore they also want to reduce the consumption of other plastic disposable products and to achieve the transition into the circular economy. In order to reduce the consumption of plastic bags, a special directive was adopted in the European Union, on the basis of which Member States chose a measure to achieve this goal. Most Member States have opted for economic measures. Among them is Slovenia. Although our current legislation has yielded certain results, it has received numerous criticisms, due to the lack of ambitiousness, especially considering the damage caused by plastic bags to the environment and the support of the public for more stringent measures. Thus, a phenomenon which is often seen is repeated. Slovenia is blindly following trends instead of creating them.
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