The EU Commission proposes refillable cups in fast food chains, a ban on mini shampoo bottles in hotels and fixed deposit systems. There is considerable resistance to these rather radical plans.
The figures are frightening: according to the European Commission, around 25.8 million tonnes of plastic waste is produced each year in Europe, of which less than 30 percent is collected for recycling. Every year in Europe, up to 500,000 tons of plastic waste ends up in the sea.
radical plans
Brussels has now declared war on the plastic mountain. In November last year, the committee presented a draft for a new packaging regulation. And the plans are quite drastic. Therefore, by 2040, 80 percent of the ‘coffee to go’ cups and drinking cups from McDonald’s and Co. be recyclable.
Binding quotas for returnable bottles
It is a similar story with food: for 40 percent of all takeaway dishes from restaurants, the packaging must be refillable. There should be a complete ban on packaging that the Commission calls “waste” – such as mini shampoo and mini shower gel bottles in hotels. In addition, half of the packaging in online retail must be recyclable. In addition, there are binding quotas for reusable bottles and for the proportion of recycled plastic.
As is always the case with environmental regulations, especially strict regulations, there is strong opposition from the business community. The fast food chain McDonald’s, for example, calls the EU’s plans “counterproductive to the objectives of the Green Deal” and anchored the criticism in a self-funded report.
Two camps: recycle versus reuse
At the beginning of May, the European Parliament’s Environment Committee discussed the draft. Here too there is disagreement, the delegates are divided into two camps that have been incompatible until now: fans of recycling versus advocates of reuse. In the autumn, the plenary session of the House of Representatives will vote on the fight against packaging waste. And even before the EU elections in June 2024, the plastic mountain should shrink through regulations.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
