LISBON, Oct. 18 (Xinhua) -- The Portuguese Council of Ministers approved on Thursday a resolution banning government institutes from using plastic bottles, sacks and crockery.

At the briefing of the Council of Ministers, Minister of the Presidency Maria Manuel Leitao Marques announced the adoption of the resolution that "defines the measures to reduce the consumption of paper, print consumables and plastic products in the Public Administration."

"Defining as a rule is the ban on using bottles, plastic bags and dishes and forcing the use of alternative materials with guidelines also for public procurement," she said.

The purpose of the resolution is also to "reduce by 25 percent, in one year, the consumption of paper and consumables".

"The resolution shall be binding for the direct and indirect administration of the State, including public institutes of special regime, for the government offices, and business sectors of the state, and applicable, on an optional basis, to the autonomous administration," read a statement of the Council of Ministers.