The European Council approved a single-use plastics ban, which will come into force in Ireland by 2021. This includes the top 10 plastic items that are commonly found on beaches such as:
- Cigarette butts
- Balloons
- Food containers
- Cups & lids
- Drink bottles
- Bags
- Cutlery, straws & stirrers
- Crisp packets/sweet wrappers
- Sanitary applications
- Cotton buds.
Strict rules will be set by the EU for reducing the type of plastics that are commonly found to be polluting European beaches. Single-use cutlery, plates and straws will be banned from the markets, while for certain products, effort will be made to limit the use from the design and labeling, and clean-up obligations for the manufacturers. Frans Timmermans, the First Vice-President of the European Commission who is responsible for sustainable development said: “There is a growing sense of urgency in European society to do whatever it takes to stop plastic pollution in our oceans.”
This is a fantastic news. It is great that the people we have elected to represent us in the EU have taken to doing something about the issue of plastic pollution. While there are more to be done, it is a definitive start to fixing this problem. Let’s start looking after our planet!