Page 38 - Plastics News June 2018

internAtionAL news

Europe proposes bans on many single-use plastics

he European Union is proposing a ban on many single- stirrers and sticks for balloons. Single-use drinks containers
Tuse plastics, with a goal to clean up the litter found made with plastic will only be allowed on the market if
on Europe’s beaches and seas. The ban would cover their caps and lids remain attached. Member States must
plastic straws, cotton earbuds, cutlery, balloon sticks reduce the use of plastic food containers and drinks cup.
and drink stirrers. The proposal also has aggressive goals Producers will help cover the costs of waste management
for managing other single-use plastics. The European and clean-up, as well as awareness raising measures for
Commission’s proposal was presented in Brussels by Frans food containers, packets and wrappers (such as for crisps
Timmermans and Jyrki Katainen, two EC vice presidents. and sweets), drinks containers and cups, tobacco products
The commission targeted 10 of the most commonly found with filters (such as cigarette butts), wet wipes, balloons,
single-use plastic products as well as lost and abandoned and lightweight plastic bags. The industry will also be
fishing gear. “We have put together a directive, which will given incentives to develop less polluting alternatives for
cover 70 percent of the litter found on European beaches. these products
Single-use plastic products for which alternatives are readily
available will be banned outright. These products are: PRE launches platform to
plastic cotton buds, cutlery, plates, straws, drink stirrers
validate packaging recyclability

lastics Recycling Europe (PRE) has launched a
Pnew initiative to assess, improve and endorse
the recyclability of packaging solutions offered by
companies. PRE said that RecyClass has been launched
in light of increasing interest and demand for “design
for recycling.”

The move follows a European Commission strategy
for plastics, announced in January, which urges the
plastics industry and its value chain to encourage and
and sticks for balloons,”, Timmermans said. He added ensure a shift in production of plastic packaging, and
“Let me be very clear. These products won’t disappear;
they’ll just be made with different materials. The use of an EC announcement that would ban some single-
products for which no straightforward alternatives have
yet been developed will be curbed, with member states
being required to achieve a “significant reduction.”
For example, states would be required to collect 90
percent of single-use plastic drink bottles by 2025.
Additionally, the proposal includes design and labeling
requirements and waste management and clean-up
obligations for producers.
According to Katainen, the proposal is an opportunity for use plastics.Those moves are part of an increased
Europe to lead the way, creating products that the world interest in recyclability becoming a priority aspect in
will demand for decades to come, and extracting more packaging design.Paolo Glerean chairs the platform.
economic value from precious and limited resources. RecyClass features customer service support, which
“Our collection target for plastic bottles will also help includes answering questions regarding recyclability
to generate the necessary volumes for a thriving plastic of packaging. It also includes an official RecyClass
recycling industry,” he said.The new rules will introduce
a ban on plastic cotton buds, cutlery, plates, straws, drink Certification and label of packaging products.

Plastics News June 2018 38