The EU is stepping up the pace in the fight against plastic waste, as more and more packaging will need to be recyclable in the future. Negotiators from the European Parliament and the EU countries agreed on this on Monday evening in Brussels.
Parliament announced that certain single-use packaging, such as for unprocessed fresh fruit and vegetables or individual packaging for sugar, will be banned from 2030. The goal is to gradually reduce packaging waste by at least 15 percent by 2040 compared to 2018.
Stricter regulations for all packaging
In the future, stricter rules will apply to all packaging. With certain exceptions for textiles, ceramics and rubber, among others, all packaging must be recyclable. In the future, orders via the internet may only be delivered in containers that are at least half full: the so-called empty space share may not exceed 50 percent, the states said.
Very light plastic bags will no longer be allowed in the future – unless they are necessary for hygienic reasons or are used for loose food to prevent food waste, parliament said.
Parliament and EU countries still need to agree
The basis for the negotiations was a legislative proposal from the European Commission from 2022. The new rules must still be formally adopted by the states and the EU Parliament.
Source: Krone
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