Plastic remains an environmental problem worldwide. The EU Parliament has now spoken out in favor of tightening the rules for packaging. But the rules cannot come into force yet.
Less plastic, more recycling: The Environment Committee in the European Parliament has spoken out in favor of stricter rules for packaging. Accordingly, the plastic content in packaging should in future consist of recycled material to a certain extent, as the EU Parliament announced in Brussels.
MEPs also want to ban the sale of very light plastic carrier bags unless they are necessary for hygiene reasons or as packaging for loose food. In addition, consumers should be able to bring their own containers to restaurants.
The committee’s now agreed amendments to the EU Commission’s proposal should also eliminate so-called perpetual chemicals from food packaging, as they are said to be harmful to health.
The plenary session of Parliament is scheduled to vote in November. Before the new rules can come into force, Parliament must negotiate with the states. The EU countries discussed the new regulations for the first time in March, but there was no agreement yet.
Reactions from the packaging industry:
Companies in the packaging industry criticized the plan before the vote. According to the European Paper Packaging Alliance (EPPA) in Brussels, reusable packaging uses more water and is less hygienic, and costs and CO2 consumption increase compared to single-use paper packaging.
Environmentalists welcomed the Commission’s proposal, but are calling for even stricter measures. The European environmental association EEB wants stricter guidelines for all types of disposable packaging. The European consumer organization ANEC also praised the Commission’s proposals as they promised improvements for the environment and consumers.
Source: Stern
