User:Scookucsd222/sandbox

6. Greece[edit]
Prior to the introduction of legislation, Greece produced roughly 4 billion single-use plastic bags every year. Though the average person in Greece disposed of over 300 plastic bags annually, only 10% of the bags produced were recycled. A plastic bag charge was introduced on 1 January 2018. Initially bags cost 4 cents each, which then increased to 7 cents on 1 January 2019. Greece later drafted additional legislation that would work to discourage use of single-use plastics on 1 July 2021. The measures administered in this bill include banning merchants from ordering and selling single-use plastic bags and serviceware. ~Scookucsd222

7. Germany[edit]
The German Packaging Act was introduced on 1 January 2019 to limit the amount of disposable plastic bags used in packaging. Companies that plan to use packaging materials are now required to register with the government before distributing their products. If they do not comply, they can be fined up to € 200,000 and banned from selling their products. Furthermore, this amendment establishes recycling quotas that markets are required to meet in order to avoid being fined. In 2019, 36% of plastic packaging was required to be recycled, but has since been increased to 63% in 2022. Additionally, The First Act to Amend the Packaging Act was introduced on 9 February 2021. Instating this amendment means Germany will ban all single-use plastic, including shopping bags starting 1 January 2022. ~Scookucsd222