Beijing issued first penalty after ban on free plastic bags

Tag : GE Plastic

On the morning of June 2, a shop in Beijing's Yue Ge Zhuang marketwas found still using ultra-thin plastic bags, and was fined 10,000yuan by the commerce administration department. This is also thefirst fine since the ban on free plastic bags in Beijing wasimplemented, as reported by the Beijing Evening News.

"The highest penalty will be placed on the shop, and later themarket organizers will be punished," Liyun Hong, DeputySecretary of the Fengtai Trade and Industry Bureau, told reporters.

From June 1 to August 1, the city's commerce administrationdepartment will investigate those who sell plastic shopping bags.If merchants sell plastic shopping bags below cost, or if theyillegally provided plastic shopping bags to consumers free ofcharge, the commerce administration department will penalize themwith a maximum fine of 10,000 yuan on site. The Ministry ofCommerce is working on the implementation of "SolicitingComments on Measures for Administration of Compensated Use ofPlastic Bags in Commodities Retail Areas." For the lessclearly defined content, the Department of Commercial Reform andDevelopment under the Ministry of Commerce will open a column onits official website to address related inquiries.

By People's Daily Online