European
Union legislators have voted to ban single-use plastic used by consumers, in an
effort to curb ocean pollution.
The 10
products affected include plates, balloon sticks, food and beverage containers,
cutlery, straws, and stirrers. The legislation, will take effect in 2021.
The
legislation was introduced after the European Commission found that 85% of
marine litter is plastic. Plastic has been found in species such as fish,
turtles, and shellfish, and by extension also has ended up in food consumed by
people.
In addition
to the single-use plastic ban, member states of the European Parliament will be
required by 2029 to collect and recycle at least 90% of beverage bottles.
Tobacco companies will also play a role, covering the cost of collecting
littered cigarette butts, which are the second most littered single-use plastic
items, according to Al Jazeera.
The
“polluter pays” model will be applied to other producers of products such as
plastic cups, sanitary towels, and wet wipes, which will all be required to
explain to consumers how to properly dispose of each item. Packaging will also include
warnings about the environmental impacts of such products. The effort will
place more responsibility on producers of pollutive plastics, instead of
placing blame solely on consumers.
Curbing
plastic pollution could avoid nearly $25 billion-worth of environmental damages
by 2030, according to TIME.
“Today, we
have taken an important step to reduce littering and plastic pollution in our
oceans and seas,” said the European Commission’s vice-president Frans
Timmermans said in a statement. “Europe is setting new and ambitious standards,
paving the way for the rest of the world.”