PX MART WARNED TO STOP GIVING FREE PLASTIC BAGS|全聯被爆提供免費塑膠袋 環署:限期改善

PX Mart is in the news again, this time for the free plastic bags available at PX Mart by the exit. To cut the use of plastic bags it is illegal for the seven big supermarket chains to give them out free. The Environmental Protection Administration has notified its local offices to order the companies' shops to change this within a deadline or it will be fined NT$1,200 to NT$6,000. PX Mart said that it offers these for the convenience of customers who buy fresh meat, fish or fruit. It also said it will immediately change the practice. PX Mart offer free transparent plastic bags at the self packing area by the exit. Environmental groups criticized this on Facebook as encouraging the public to use too many plastic bags and violating the regulation on the seven big supermarkets not giving away free plastic bags. Groups have reported the chain to local environmental departments for the violation. == HSIEH HO-LIN Sec-Gen. Taiwan Watch== People are going there and putting every single thing in separate bags. These things are already wrapped. So giving free bags is like encouraging people to use more free plastic bags. In response, PX Mart said that there was no mention of the fact that these are transparent plastic bags provided for bloody or watery fresh items, at busy times when staff at checkout counters have no time to help customers bag these fresh items. Since it has been told this was illegal, it would now stop the practice. == LAI YING-YING Sect. Head, EPA Solid Waste Management== We will go a second time to inspect if this has changed, if not we will fine the shop from NT$1,200 to NT$6,000. The EPA decided that although PX Mart was not giving out free carrier bags, but by offering other plastic bags free, people would take and use more as carrier bags, which was against regulations. The EPA will strengthen inspection of the seven large supermarket chains to see if this was common practice. In addition, they will encourage shoppers at traditional markets, where a vast number of plastic bags are used, to bring their own bags. TRANSLATED BY：CLARE LEAR 聯在門口設置自助裝袋區，提供免費塑膠袋，違反規範，環保署已經請地方環保局開勸導單並限期改善，如果複查未合格，每家店可以開罰1200元到6000元。全聯解釋，是為了提供消費者包裝有血水的生鮮產品，又怕尖峰時無法協助裝袋，將立即改善。 全聯門口的自助裝袋區，提供免費塑膠袋讓民眾使用，被環保團體在臉書上痛批，在結帳區之外提供不需付費的塑膠袋，不但變相鼓勵民眾拿來當購物袋用，也是在規避環保署7大類場所"不得免費提供塑膠袋"的政策，環團已經向地方環保局提出檢舉。 ==看守台灣秘書長 謝和霖== （民眾)到那邊就把商品 一個個拿出來 再用那個塑膠袋再包一下 那些商品其實都本身已經有包裝了 所以他這種樣子 就等於是在鼓勵民眾 用這種免費的塑膠袋 面對環保團體質疑，全聯表示，這個沒有提耳的透明塑膠袋屬於"包裝袋"，是提供給賣場內沒有包裝的蔬菜水果，或是可能有血水滲出的生鮮食品來使用，人潮多時，結帳櫃檯無法幫忙裝袋，才設置在結帳區之外，讓民眾自助使用，但既然有違法疑慮，即日起在自助裝袋區不會提供免費塑膠袋。 ==環保署廢管處長 賴瑩瑩== 第二次去稽查 看看他有沒有改善 如果並沒有改善 我們就會來告發處分 1200到6000元 環保署認定，全聯提供的雖然是沒有提耳的包裝袋，但是在購物區外，就可能被民眾當成購物提袋，不符合規定，未來除了加強稽查七大場所是否違規提供塑膠袋外，將針對像傳統市場等塑膠袋高用量場所，也會加強宣導，鼓勵民眾自備環保購物袋。 記者綜合報導