Bill to reduce plastic bag use passes first reading in Knesset

A bill calling for reduction in plastic bag use passed its first reading in the Knesset on Wednesday. The bill mandates that plastic bags cannot be offered for free in stores in order to reduce their profligate use. Studies have shown that Israelis use two billion of the thin plastic bags a year and that the average life span of each bag is 20 minutes, or roughly the time it takes to transport groceries from store to home.