SINGLE-USE PLASTIC ITEMS BANNED FROM JULY 3

The single-use plastic items such as straws, forks, knives and cotton buds will be prohibited in the EU this Saturday, July 3. Where sustainable alternatives are readily available and affordable, single-use plastic products cannot be placed on the markets of EU Member States.

Related law:

Directive (EU) 2019/904 of the European Parliament and of the Council of June 5 2019, on the reduction of the impact of certain plastic products on the environment. 

 In its Article 4 provides that “By July 3 2021, Member States shall prepare a description of the measures which they have adopted pursuant to the first subparagraph, notify the description to the Commission and make it publicly available. The Member States shall integrate the measures set out in the description into the plans or programmes referred to in Article 11 upon the first subsequent update of those plans or programmes in accordance with the relevant legislative acts of the Union governing those plans or programmes, or into any other programmes drawn up specifically for that purpose”.

Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/2151 of December 17, 2020, laying down rules on harmonised marking specifications on single-use plastic products listed in Part D of the Annex to Directive (EU) 2019/904 of the European Parliament and the Council on the reduction of the impact of certain plastic products on the environment, that is binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all the Member States, should apply from this Saturday.

Extraordinary step to avoid the negative environmental, health and economic impact of those products!