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The European Parliament votes overwhelmingly in favor of a ban on disposable plastics. When does the ban take effect? For which products does it apply? And what does it really mean?
1.
The proposal of European Commissioners Frans Timmermans (Better Regulation) and Jyrki Katainen (Growth) stipulates that products made from disposable plastic will be banned in Europe from 2021. Plastic swabs, cutlery, plates, straws, stirrers and ball sticks must now be made of durable material. If a product needs to be plastic for medical reasons, an exception will apply.
2. Why this proposal?
According to the European Commission, more than 80% of the waste in the oceans is plastic. This is why the ten types of plastic waste most found on European beaches are forbidden. In addition, Brussels attacks fishing nets lost and abandoned. This accounts for 70 percent of all marine litter.
Plastic is harmful to humans and the environment. It is relatively slow and if the animals eat it, they can get sick. In addition, plastic eventually ends up in people's food via fish, seafood.
Finally, disposable plastic is bad for the economy, says the commission. Disposable products are a waste of material and it takes a lot of money to clean up the mess. In addition, polluted seas and beaches are bad for fishing and tourism in coastal areas
3.
Member States should discourage the use of plastic containers for food and drinkers . Producers of cigarettes, wipes and sweets are forced to pay for waste treatment.
In addition, Parliament wants 90% of plastic bottles to be collected separately, for example by means of consignment systems. More than one in three bottles must have been made from recycled plastic.
The Commission also wants Member States to raise citizens' awareness of the impact of disposable products on the environment. This concerns, for example, balloons, sanitary napkins and wet wipes. The proposal states that producers must clearly indicate on the label where they can recycle the product, what negative impact this product has on the environment and how much plastic it contains.
4. What do all these measurements provide?
Less plastic in the ocean. To be more specific, Brussels wants to reduce by more than half the pollution of the ten disposable products on the list by 2030. According to the Commission, the plan prevents environmental damage of 22 billion euros and emissions of CO2 of 3.4 million tonnes.
5. What was the case with plastic bags?
The European Union wanted a ban on plastic rather than plastic bags. It did not happen. Parliament has opted for a system whereby Member States are judged on their actions, that is to say that they are required to reduce the use of plastic bags.
In 2016, the Netherlands decided to fulfill this obligation by banning free plastic bags. Since the introduction of this measure, the number of plastic bags in the North Sea has more than halved.
6. What do businesses think about it?
Many companies like to participate. In fact, multinationals are already advertising that they are now using sustainable packaging or materials. This is not surprising because sustainability and social responsibility are trends in the marketing world.
Some examples:
- McDonald's announced in June to propose an alternative to plastic straws in non-alcoholic beverages by 2019. It is not yet known what solution it will be. Last month, Britain's burgers chain began with paper straws.
- The Jumbo supermarket chain started this summer with a laser tag on organic vegetables. This makes the plastic packaging materials superfluous
- IKEA will stop using disposable plastic items such as straws, plates, goblets and bags from 2020.
- Lidl stops selling products disposable plastics, such as straws, goblets and cotton swabs. . They are replaced by alternatives in paper or bamboo.
- Starbucks will ban plastic straws worldwide starting in 2020. In their own words, the coffee chain uses one billion straws a year.
- Unilever promised that all plastic would be fully reusable or biodegradable by 2025.
- Event sector companies will finish at least half of all disposable plastic items within three years . to replace festivals and events. They call it the "plastic promise". Participants include ID & T, AB InBev, Amsterdam Dance Event, Coca-Cola, Grolsch and Heineken.
7. When do we know if the ban is approaching?
The European Parliament voted in favor of the proposal on Wednesday. This does not mean that there will be a definitive ban on single-use products.
EU Member States in Council still have to vote on the proposal. If the Council requests many adjustments, it is possible that a new ballot will take place in Parliament and Council. It is not yet known when the Council will decide
"The Commission hopes that the proposal will be approved before the end of the year," said the spokesman.
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