2019/03/27 (Wednesday), Parliament approved a new law banning single-use plastic items such as plates, cutlery, straws and cotton buds sticks.

560 MEPs voted in favour of the agreement with EU ministers, 35 against and 28 abstained.

The following products will be banned in the EU by 2021:

 

‧Single-use plastic cutlery (forks, knives, spoons and chopsticks)

‧Single-use plastic plates

‧Plastic straws Cotton bud sticks made of plastic

‧Plastic balloon sticks

‧Oxo-degradable plastics and food containers and expanded polystyrene cups

‧Food containers made of expanded polystyrene, such as fast food boxes, with or without a cover, used to contain food that is intended for immediate consumption either on-the-spot or take-away, and that is ready  to be consumed without any further preparation, like cooking, boiling or heating

‧Beverage containers and cups for beverages made of expanded polystyrene

Member states will have to achieve a 90% collection target for plastic bottles by 2029, and plastic bottles will have to contain at least 25% of recycled content by 2025 and 30% by 2030。

 

The agreement also strengthens the application of the polluter pays principle, in particular for tobacco, by introducing extended responsibility for producers.

This new regime will also apply to fishing gear, to ensure that manufacturers, and not fishermen, bear the costs of collecting nets lost at sea.

The legislation finally stipulates that labelling on the negative environmental impact of throwing cigarettes with plastic filters in the street should be mandatory, as well as for other products such as plastic cups, wet wipes and sanitary napkins.

 

In addition, member states will take the necessary measures to achieve a measurable quantitative reduction in the consumption of the following products:

‧Food containers made of plastic, such as fast food boxes, with or without a cover, used to contain food that is intended for immediate consumption either on-the-spot or take-away, and that is ready to be  consumed without any further preparation, like cooking, boiling or heating.

‧Plastic cups for beverages, including their covers and lids