German minister prepares law to ban plastic bags

Germany plans a law to ban the use of plastic bags because voluntary agreements with retailers to curb usage have not yielded good enough results, Environment Minister Svenja Schulze said on Sunday. "My ministry will get a plastic bag ban on its way," she said, not giving a timetable for the plan, adding her aim was "that we get out of the throw-away society and that overall, we use less plastic."

Her remarks came after the Sunday daily Bild am Sonntag earlier on Sunday reported on her plans. The European Union will outlaw certain single-use plastic products such as straws, forks and knives from 2021, but has allowed transition times for others.