30 Indonesian Retailers No Longer Offer Free Plastic Bags
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1 March 2019 17:47 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The paid plastic bag policy, which aims at curbing the use of disposable plastic bags, kicks off at modern retailers today. The policy, dubbed “the non-free plastic bags” (KPTG), is the follow-up to a program that should have taken effect in 2016.
“Members of the association has kick-started its collective commitment today,” Indonesian Retailers Association (Aprindo) deputy chairman Tutum Rahanta told Tempo today.
Tutum said 30 Aprindo members began to implement the policy today, among them Matahari Group, Ranch Market, Ramayana, Superindo, and Alfamart—with the rest set to follow suit in the near future.
Read: Retailers Charge Rp200 for Plastic Bag Starting March 1
The disposable plastic bags sold by Aprindo members are valued at a minimum of Rp200 apiece, depending on their brands. As for brands with large bags, such as Ace Hardware, the plastic bags are priced at Rp500-1,000.
Tutum said Aprindo viewed this move as an essential part of the worldwide environmental movement on the dangers of pollution, which had become more urgent following discoveries of plastic bags in oceans.
FRANCISCA CHRISTY ROSANA
