Map showing low consumption of plastics in Portugal is authentic, but 2020 increased by 122%
“Use of plastic packaging in Europe. Congratulations Portugal”. The words serve as a description for a graphic, released this Sunday, October 2, on Twitter, where Portugal appears in first place in the ranking of European countries that least use plastic bags.
On the map, countries like Lithuania, Latvia and the Czech Republic we are “stained” by the excessive use of plastic bags (annual consumption per capita). On the other hand, Poland, Belgium and Portugal represent the three countries that, in 2019, made the least use of this resource.
At stake are plastic bags that are usually bought in supermarkets (low weight). The Polígrafo consulted the original “post”, authored by the data analysis portal “Landgeist“, where the reduction of plastics is highlighted and micro countries to encourage or increase legislation to reduce the use of plastic plastics and reduce the use of plastics”.
The map in question thus shows “the annual consumption of all transport bags made of plastic, which are supplied to customers at points of sale of goods or products”. Interestingly, explains the “Landgeist”, the “Baltic and Nordic countries have the highest consumption of lightweight plastic packaging“.
The Polygraph also consults the original data, published on the portal of the European Statistical Office “Eurostat“. It is important to note, however, that no trend can yet be traced regarding the use of these reports, since the data started to be compiled in 2018. In that year, there are no data even for several European countries, including Portugal.
In 019, the data found in Portugal2 confirm that the same lower annual consumption of plastic packaging (SPL) per capita (7.7)which contrasts with astronomical consumption in countries such as Lithuania (331.5), Latvia (283.4), the Czech Republic (247.4) and Bulgaria (198.6).
In Portugal, plastic bags are subject to a contribution (8 cents + VAT) “with the aim of promoting and motivating a more sustainable behavior of consumers, producers and traders”, informs the Portuguese Environment Agency (APA) .
However, it is important to note that, according to the balance made by the APA between 2015 and 2020, shared in July of this year and available here, the number of plastic packaging for annual consumption by inhabitant increased in 2020 to 17.1, the highest value in the last seven years. This rise translates into a percentage increase between 2019 and 2020 of 122%.
Also, despite having downloaded between 2015 and 2019, number of plastic bags not the market rose again in 2020 (for numbers higher than 2015). You can see these data in the chart below, as well as the growth in consumption and exports.
According to the APA assessment, “between 2015 and 2018 there was a tapering off the number of exceptions used, the consumption shipped was not recorded, as well as the donors used in 2019. , continuing the SPL shipped/exported to maintain an increasing trend”.
“However, in 2020 there is a propensity to growth moreover, still vinified in all SPL categories, with items included for dispatched/exported consumption and above all for dispatched/exported products”, notes the Agency, which includes the Portuguese numbers in the European ones:
“Per capita consumption of selected SPL in 2020 stood at 17.1 bags/inhabitant, still below targets in Directive (EU) 2015/720 of 90 and 40 bags per inhabitant until 31 December 2019 and 2025, respectively, but more than double the value of 8.0 bags/inhabitant recorded in 2019, indicating an increasing trend consumption since 2018.”
True, but…