When Will Single-Use Plastics Be Banned?

Late last month the EU took the historic decision to approve a motion aimed at phasing out single-use plastics over the next few years. The motion passed with an incredible margin of 571 ayes to 53 nays, with only 34 abstentions. While there are still some obstacles to be overcome before it enters into law - individual member states must both approve and ratify it - the move is a landmark one towards a plastic-free future.

“We have adopted the most ambitious legislation against single-use plastics,” said a statement from the European Parliament. “Today’s vote paves the way to a forthcoming and ambitious directive. It is essential in order to protect the marine environment and reduce the costs of environmental damage attributed to plastic pollution in Europe, estimated at €22 billion [£19.5 billion] by 2030.”

Plastics banned by 2021

The most immediate ban will come into effect in under three years and applies to plastic products which already have environmentally-friendly alternatives available on market, constructed from materials like wood, cardboard and paper. This list includes plastic cutlery and plates, straws, cotton buds and balloon sticks.

Furthermore, the latest bill also added products constructed from oxo-degradable plastic, such as plastic bags and food packaging, as well as the kind of food containers made from expanded polystyrene, to the list of items that will be outlawed from 2021 onwards.

Non-banned plastics

The above items account for around 70% of the waste found in our oceans and seas, but there are plenty of others which are harder to replace. Although scientists are investigating ways to circumnavigate these plastics - such as the unlikely combination of forensic science and artificial intelligence - much work still needs to be done before they can be phased out entirely.

With that in mind, the EU has decreed that member states must reduce their consumption of such items by 25% by 2025. These include things like crisp packets, cup lids, single-use sandwich boxes, fruit and vegetable containers and sanitary products. Meanwhile, EU countries will also have to ensure that at least 90% of all plastic bottles are being recycled by 2025 as well.

Fishing gear and cigarette butts

Finally, MEPs also turned their attention to the problems of fishing gear and cigarette butts. The former accounts for approximately 27% of waste washed up on beaches across the continent each year, while the latter is the second most common plastic pollutant after drinks bottles. Moreover, a single cigarette butt can contaminate as much as 1,000 litres of water, making them an area of grave concern.

With that in mind, the EU have ruled that member states must recover 50% of lost or abandoned fishing gear every year and aim to recycle 15% of that by 2025. Meanwhile, the amount of plastic contained within cigarette butts must be reduced by 50% by 2025 and 80% by 2030.

A work in progress

While the targets set out by the EU’s discussions are certainly ambitious, there’s no reason why they can’t be met. Indeed, the UK has already begun implementing measures aimed at combating microplastic pollution by phasing out products containing microbeads, as well as introducing other targeted legislation.

For example, Michael Gove recently announced that Britain would prohibit the use of single-use items such as cotton buds, straws and other kinds of plastics from 2019. Plastic bag consumption is down by 90% after the introduction of a charge in supermarkets, while a levy on disposable coffee cups and a plastic bottle deposit return scheme is also in the works.