Jakarta (VNA) - The Jakarta administration has issueda long awaited regulation banning such plastic bags from traditional and modernmarkets starting in June this year.

The regulation was signed by Jakarta Governor AniesBaswedan on December 27.

According to the regulation’s Article 30, the ban will take effect sixmonths after the regulation was enacted on December 31, Jakarta LegalBureau head Yayan Yuhana said.

Aside from the ban, the regulation will also serve as a legal basis forthe usage of eco-friendly bags in stores and markets.  

According to the regulation, eco-friendly bags can be made from leaf,paper, cloth, polyester and its derivatives as well as recycled materials. Italso should have adequate thickness, be recyclable and designed to be usedseveral times before being disposed of. 

The Jakarta administration defined single-use plastic bags as transparentbags made from various kinds of plastics, including polyethylene andthermoplastics.
The regulation also carriespunishments for shopping centres found violating the ban, which range fromwritten warning and fines to permit suspension and termination.

Despite the ban, a number of articles in the regulation still allow shopsto provide single-use plastic to “accommodate foodstuffs that have not beenwrapped by any packaging.” Such exception, however, will not applicable ifalternate eco-friendly packaging is already available.

The plan to issue a regulation banning single-use plastic bags in the cityhas been in the pipeline since early last year. However, it was put on hold asGovernor Anies wanted to include the provision on substitute materials toreplace plastic bags in the regulation draft.

Earlier, a number of cities in Indonesia, including South Kalimantan’sBanjarmasin, East Kalimantan’s Balikpapan and Bali’s Denpasar, had also banned single-useplastic bags./.