The Congress of Deputies finally approved a new law on waste: the end came almost immediately for cutlery, straws, plates and plastic sticks that could no longer be sold after Supplies Now in circulation. The event will arrive nine months late until July 3, 2021, the deadline set by European regulations.
After passing the Senate, lawmakers supported the creation of a special tax on the production of disposable tableware, and a second on additional tax and liability for the disposal and incineration of waste, plastic cups and food packaging. Restaurants will serve tap water at the request of customers. The overall goal is to reduce waste: 13% in 2025 and 15% in 2030 compared to 2010 levels.
The general idea of the norm is that Spain reduces the dynamics of use and disposal. The use of large quantities of plastic items that are used only once and then discarded stands behind a stream of garbage that, in the long run, ends up mostly in the sea. Given the size of this wave, the countries agreed on March 1 to begin drafting a binding international agreement to halt the 300 million tonne wave each year.
The new tax on the production of non-recyclable utensils, ie disposable utensils, for manufacturers or importers is 0.45 euros per kilogram of plastic. Spain needs to rebuild soil in terms of recycling: the government forecasts it will move from 36% to 55% by 2025, 60% by 2030 and 65% by 2035. The average rate for union countries is 47%.
In this sense, from January 2023, when someone wants to pick up a plastic cup for a drink or plastic wrap to carry a prepared dish, they have to pay for these items separately. Businesses must specify the individual price of these facilities on the ticket. This is the same dynamic that already works with plastic bags.
Another aspect that will be noticeable in the daily life of the citizens is the obligation of the food business to turn on the tap water on request. The goal is similar: to limit the use of disposable packaging.
The declared goal of the text prepared by the Ministry of Ecological Transition is that by 2030 all these facilities will be reduced by 70% compared to 2022. The government estimates that it receives about eight million tons of waste each year. Seas of Spain. Most are cigarette butts and plastic items such as cotton swabs, straw, cutlery, lids and various containers.
In the Senate amendment process, the bill amended the Water Act, which restored a hydroelectric plant that is taxed at 25.5% of the bill for the production of the largest plants. Launched by Mariano Rajoy’s government in 2015, the Supreme Court overturned its retroactive nature, and the PP executive allowed the issue to die.
Source: El Diario
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
