The Riigikogu has passed the first reading of a bill that aims to reduce the use of disposable plastic containers and plastic waste. There was previously a plan to impose a packaging tax of 50 cents per item, however this is no no longer in place. Each business is now solely responsible for reducing their own plastic waste.
Time is, once again, running out for consultations with municipalities, and to convene a forestry council in the framework of preparations for the Forestry Development Plan (MAK). Minister of the Environment Madis Kallas believes, that, for the sake of nature and Europe's carbon sinks, a compromise must be reached, whereby Estonia's annual forest felling volumes are below 10 million cubic meters.
Minister of the Environment Madis Kallas (SDE) has proposed, that the government maintains the current felling volumes of the State Forest Management Center (RMK), citing damage caused by worms and the energy crisis as reasons to do so.