Europe demonstrates enterprise in the fight against plastic waste

“Plastic is a valuable material, but we use it in an exceptionally careless way.” Member of the European Parliament Mark Demesmaeker called the measures approved by the European Parliament today an ambitious but feasible step in the fight against plastic waste. “Without action, there will be more plastic than fish in our seas by 2050. We have to change course. We must fully commit to the sustainable and responsible management of plastic throughout the entire value chain,” says Mark Demesmaeker. More than eighty percent of the litter that is found on beaches consists of plastic, and about half of this comes from disposable products.

Ten disposable products

The focus is on the ten most commonly found disposable products on European beaches. “Several disposable plastic products for which sustainable and affordable alternatives already exist will be banned. Europe is proposing a range of measures for other products, such as reduced use, improved product design and labelling, and more awareness campaigns. For example, Member States have to reduce the consumption of disposable plastic drinking cups and food containers by 25 percent by 2025,” explains MEP Demesmaeker.

Producers contribute to the cost

It is essential that producers help pay for the disposal of litter from now on. Mark Demesmaeker elaborates: “Undeniably an important step forward. In Flanders, producers already contribute to the fight against litter, for example through the Mooimakers awareness campaigns. But the European proposal goes further. The report also recognises that producers can use marketing as an important lever to promote sustainable and circular production and consumption models. Of course, the fight against litter remains a shared responsibility, and the consumer also has an important role to play.”

Beverage bottles and cigarette butts

Another highlight is that Member States will have to collect 90 percent of single-use plastic beverage bottles separately by 2025. “Ambitious, but feasible. It is also important that plastic beverage bottles will have to contain 35 percent recycled plastic by 2025. Flanders has already set the bar at 50 percent. The European Parliament is also determined to combat cigarette butts by making manufacturers contribute to the cleaning costs and by setting ambitious reduction targets for plastic cigarette filters,” concludes Mark Demesmaeker, who insists that everything starts with the proper implementation of the waste legislation.