EU to ban single-use plastic packaging in cafes from 2030
EU negotiators have agreed to introduce a ban on single-use plastics in cafes and restaurants from 2030 to reduce packaging waste and make it more sustainable, while ensuring the highest standards of waste management. The aim is to gradually reduce packaging waste in the EU by at least 15% by 2040 compared to 2018.
The ban will also apply to individual portions of products such as unprocessed fresh fruit and vegetables, spices and sugar, as well as miniature toiletries and shrink-wrap in airport luggage. Ultra-light plastic bags will also be banned. Businesses selling drinks and takeaways will also have to "endeavour" to offer 10 per cent of their products in reusable packaging by 2030, and should also allow consumers to use their own containers. The agreement will become law once it has been formally ratified by member states and parliaments. Plastics bring convenience and pollution to human society. Biodegradable plastics, which can be completely broken down into carbon dioxide and water in a specific environment, are an ideal alternative to combat plastic pollution.
