The EU has announced this week that its restrictions on ‘single-use’ plastic will include a ban on balloon sticks and plates, as well as plastic straws and stirrers.
The move was announced on Monday 28 May by the European commission as part of its plan to ensure that 55% of all plastic is recycled by 2030.
It has prompted urgent calls for the environment secretary, Michael Gove, to guarantee that the UK will follow Brussels’ lead after Brexit.
The plastic items targeted by the ban are cotton buds, cutlery, chopsticks, plates, straws, stirrers and sticks for balloons.
The document states that: “Single-use plastic products for which suitable and more sustainable alternatives are readily available should no longer be placed on the union market to limit their impact on the environment.”
Where there are no readily available alternatives, the EU says member states must respect a ‘polluter pays’ principle. This means that manufacturers will have to cover the costs of waste management and the clean-up of marine waste, along with measures to raise awareness to prevent and reduce litter.
