Adjustments in Taxation of Disposable Goods

Chairman of the Knesset’s Finance Committee MK Alex Kushnir announced changes in the imposition of taxes on disposable products at a discussion in the Finance Committee, this morning.

Changes outlined:

• Plastic-coated paper goods will be charged an extra NIS 3.30 in view of the fact that the ratio of plastic to paper is around a third. Plastic goods will pay a tax of NIS 11.00 per kilo.
• Plastic products intended for reuse, even if they are not as thick as the specified minimum thickness for reusable dishes, can be classed as reusable by request of the manufacturer. In the case of drinking straws, the minimum thickness will now be half of that originally specified.

MK Kushnir said: “I want to state very, very clearly that this tax on disposable utensils is going to preserve nature, our environment, our health and that of our children and our children’s children. The damage from disposable products is difficult to estimate, so I think this step is correct and I am glad that we were able to move forward and reach changes.”