The European directive that bans so-called ‘single use plastics’ will come into effect from this weekend. Stores are no longer allowed to sell disposable plastic cups, cutlery, plates, straws and stirrers.
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The directive was already announced in 2018: the European Commission was going to restrict the single use of plastic. This concerns disposable items such as cotton swabs, cutlery, plates, straws, stirrers, balloon sticks, and polystyrene cups and trays for fast food and other foods. The directive was translated into law in Belgium by the PS. Supermarkets must offer more sustainable alternatives.
• What are the alternatives to disposable plastic?
The European Commission hopes this will limit the plastic litter that easily ends up in the sea. The plastic often contains toxic substances that are not broken down by nature. In addition, many animals experience difficulties due to the floating waste. In 2017, another photo of a seahorse clutching a cotton swab went viral. According to the committee, half of the litter that is found in the sea is of the single-use type.
• How do plastic cotton buds end up in the sea?
Banning single-use plastic could save 3.4 tons of CO2 emissions, the Commission calculated. The consumer saves a total of 6.5 billion euros per year.
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