In a press release published on May 21, 2019, the European Council announced the formal adoption of new rules within the European Union that will restrict many single-use plastic items and introduce recycling targets. The European Parliament approved of the new directive in March 2019 (FPF reported), and the adoption by the Council was the final step in the procedure before becoming law. “Under the new rules, single-use plastic plates, cutlery, straws, balloon sticks and cotton buds will be banned by 2021.” Member States have also agreed to achieve a 90% collection rate for plastic bottles by 2029 as well as a recycled content in plastic bottles of at least 25% by 2025 and 30% by 2030. Once published in the Official Journal of the European Union, Member States will have two years to implement the directive into their national laws. In a press release published on May 22, 2019, the UK government also declared that from April 2020 there will be “a ban on plastic straws, drinks stirrers, and plastic stemmed cotton buds in England, following overwhelming public support for the move.”
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European Council (May 21, 2019). “Council adopts ban on single-use plastics.”
European Commission (May 21, 2019). “Circular Economy: Commission welcomes Council final adoption of new rules on single-use plastics to reduce marine plastic litter.”
Shahrzad Pourriahi (May 21, 2019). “European Council adopts single-use plastics directive.” Plastics News Europe
Shahrzad Pourriahi (May 21, 2019). “EU moving forward with single-use plastics ban.” Plastics News
Rachel Arthur (May 21, 2019). “EU sets out 30% recycled content target for plastic bottles.” Beverage Daily
Larissa Copello de Souza (May 21, 2019). “How can EU members make good on new single-use plastics law?” Euractiv
Chemical Watch (May 22, 2019). “Council of Ministers adopts Directive to restrict single-use plastics.”
UK Government (May 22, 2019). “Gove takes action to ban plastic straws, stirrers, and cotton buds.”
Olivia Rosane (May 22, 2019). “England to Ban Sale of Plastic Straws, Stirrers and Cotton Buds by April 2020.” Eco Watch
Flora Southey (May 22, 2019). “Single-use round-up: EU, England, and Germany address disposable plastics.” Beverage Daily
PlastEurope (May 23, 2019). “EU Plastics Strategy.”
Plastics News (May 24, 2019). “UK ban on single-use plastics begins in 2020.”
Plastics News Europe (May 24, 2019). “UK to ban some single-use plastics from 2020.”
