Single-use plastic banned in Europe since July 2021

A great portion of the single-use plastic is ending up on beaches and in the ocean. Therefore it is fantastic news that the European Union has banned 10 of the most common single-use plastic items as of the 5th of July 2021, as published on Euronews.com. Single use items include straws, plastic bottles, coffee cups and takeaway containers, and other single-use items made, for example, from expanded polystyrene. These are no longer allowed to be sold. 

"Expanded polystyrene is being targeted because it easily breaks down into tiny white plastic balls which are blown around by the wind and eaten by fish or birds who think it's food." And also so many othe plastic items are eaten by sealife, to finally end up in our dish. 

The urgently welcomed new guidelines will be enforced through a new law, The Single-Use Plastics (SUP) Directive, and must be adopted by all 27 EU member states. And also Norway, not a EU-member, is implementing the SUP directive as a member of the European Economic Area.

The Law will not only help preventing and reducing the impact of certain plastic products on the environment, in particular the aquatic environment, and on human health, it also promotes the transition to a circular economy with innovative and sustainable business models, products and materials.

Article source:

News source: https://www.euronews.com/green/2021/07/05/eu-bans-10-most-common-single-use-plastic-items-found-on-beaches

Read The Single-Use Plastics (SUP) Directive: 

https://rethinkplasticalliance.eu/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/ZWE_Unfolding-the-SUP-directive.pdf