EU Commission wants to remove many single-use plastic products from the market

The time is up for many of the single-use plastic products in the EU by the end of 2021. From that year on, plastic may no longer be used for cotton buds, cutlery, plates, straws, coffee-stirrers and balloon sticks and instead, will need to be replaced by sustainable alternatives.

Frans Timmermans, the Vice President responsible for sustainable development in the European Commission in 2019, explained his goals while presenting his plans as follows: „this Commission has promised to dedicate itself ambitiously to the greater questions and to leave the rest up to the member states. Plastic waste is undoubtedly a great problem, and Europeans must crack down on it as a united force, to prevent plastic waste to end up in our air, our soil, our oceans and our food. Today’s suggestions foresee a range of measures, which will mean that we will find less single-use plastics in our supermarkets. We will ban some of these items from our shelves and replace them with cleaner alternatives so that consumers will still be able to find their favourite products”.

Mr. Timmermans was supported by Jyrki Katainen, who, was responsible for jobs, growth, investment and competitiveness in the EU-Commission: „Plastics are very handy but we have to use them more responsibly. Single-use plastic is neither an economic nor an ecologically intelligent solution. The suggestions of today will simplify the transition to sustainable alternatives for companies and consumers. This is an opportunity for Europe to take on a pioneering role, by launching new products on the market which will still be in great demand globally in the decades to come, and by making greater, economically meaningful use of our valuable and limited resources”.

The new regulations by the EU are as follows:

• Prohibition of plastics in certain products: if affordable alternatives are available, certain single-use plastic products will be removed from the market. The prohibition should apply to cotton buds, cutlery, plates, straws, stirrers and balloon sticks of plastic, which can be made from eco-friendlier materials. Single-use drink containers, which contain plastic, will only be approved for use when their lids and seals are fastened to them.
   
• Goals for reducing plastic consumption: the member states must make sure that fewer foodstuff packaging and drinking beakers of plastic are used. They can achieve this by laying down national goals for a reduction in consumption, improving the availability of alternative products in the shops and making sure that single-use plastic products are only made available with an added fee.
   
• Obligations for manufacturers: manufacturers will be asked to cover cost of waste management, environment clean-up and material and disposal awareness-raising measures. This applies to the following plastic products: containers, bags and film packaging for foodstuffs (e.g. for crisps and sweets), drinking bottles and beakers, tobacco products with filters (e.g. cigarette stubs), wet wipes, balloons and light plastic carrier bags. The Industry will also be asked to develop environmentally-friendly alternatives for these products.
   
• Targets for collection: the member states will be obliged to attain a collection rate of 90 percent for single-use plastic drinking bottles by the year 2025.
   
• Labelling provisions: on certain products, proper disposal methods, what the product’s possible negative effects are on the environment, and whether or not the product contains plastic need to be stated in a clear and standardized way. This labelling stipulation will apply to sanitary towels, wet wipes and balloons.
   
• Awareness-raising measures:  the member states will be obliged to raise awareness among consumers concerning the negative consequences of incorrectly disposing single-use plastic products and fishing equipment, and knowledge on the recycling systems available and waste management opportunities for all of these products

Source & further information:

• ec.europa.eu/germany/news/20180528-einwegplastik_de