European Union votes to ban plastic bags, straws, cutlery, plates and carry-out containers across the continent
In three years time, many of the disposable plastic items that have become second “nature” to modern members of civilization will likely disappear across Europe.
The European parliament just voted to ban many of the “top 10 plastic products that most often end up in the ocean” by 2021.
Under the proposed new law, plastic bags, straws, cutlery, stir sticks, plates, polystyrene containers, cotton swabs, balloon sticks andwill be banned for sale or production by 2021.
Plastic bottles would not yet be banned, but at least 90% would have to be recycled by 2025.
“These new measures will slash the use of single-use plastics in the EU,” said Seb Dance, the environment spokesman for the UK’s labor party.
“With more than 700,000 plastic bottles littered in the UK every day, it would be negligent if the UK does not maintain these new targets if we leave the EU.”
“Unless the UK mirrors EU action on plastics after Brexit, the Tories risk turning the UK into a dumping ground for cheap, non-recyclable plastics.”