Plastics are everywhere in our daily life: they are used in packaging, buildings, cars, electronics, agriculture and other sectors. On 3 July 2021, the EU ban on disposable plastics comes into effect. This will concern straws, cups, cutlery, plates, but also balloon rods.

Single-use plastic products are used once, or for a short period of time, before being thrown away. The impacts of this plastic waste on the environment and our health are global and can be drastic. Single-use plastic products are more likely to end up in our seas than reusable options.

The 10 most commonly found single-use plastic items on European beaches, alongside fishing gear, represent 70% of all marine litter in the EU. According to the directive on single-use plastics where sustainable alternatives are easily available and affordable, single-use plastic products cannot be placed on the markets of EU Member States. This applies to cotton bud sticks, cutlery, plates, straws, stirrers, and sticks for balloons.

It will also apply to cups, food and beverage containers made of expanded polystyrene, and on all products made of oxo-degradable plastic. The EU aims to become a forerunner in the global fight against marine litter and plastic pollution. EU rules aim to reduce the volume and impact of certain plastic products on environment.

Plastics production is 20 times higher than in 1960s, and is forecast to almost quadruple by 2050. Although there are thousands of types of plastics, 90% of plastics are derived from virgin fossil fuels. About 6% of global oil consumption is used to produce plastics; by 2050, this share could reach 20%. In Europe, about 40% of post-consumer plastic waste is incinerated with energy recovery, and the rest is either landfilled or recycled. About half of the plastic waste collected and recycled is treated in the European Union; the other half is exported, mainly to China.

EU Strategy for Plastics and packaging

As part of a shift in EU policy towards a circular economy, the European Parliament worked on four legislative proposals introducing new waste-management targets regarding reuse, recycling and landfilling. The proposals also strengthen provisions on waste prevention and extended producer responsibility, and streamline definitions, reporting obligations and calculation methods for targets.

#EUelections2019 - Circular economy

On 27 March 2019, Parliament approved a new law banning single-use plastic items such as plates, cutlery, straws and cotton buds.

A milestone success is the ban of single-use plastic products such as cutlery, cotton buds, plates, straws, beverage stirrers and balloon sticks which will be banned from the EU market from 2021.

#EUelections2019 - Single use plastics

EU countries are required to drastically reduce the use of the most common and polluting plastic bags under new rules voted by Parliament on 28 April 2015.

In 2010 EU citizens used an estimated 198 plastic carrier bags, some 90% of which were lightweight. Binding reduction targets were put in place. EU member states will be able to choose: either to take measures to reduce annual average consumption of plastic bags to 90 lightweight bags per citizen by the end of 2019 or 40 by the end of 2025. Since the end of 2018, no more light plastic bags are given to shoppers free of charge.

#EUelections2019 - Plastics bags

EP Plenary session - Failure of the negotiations in Busan for a UN plastic treaty and the urgent need to tackle plastic pollution at international and Union level

EP Plenary session - Commission statement - Recent ecological catastrophe involving plastic pellet losses and its impact on micro plastic pollution in the maritime and coastal habitats

Press conference on the Net-Zero Industry Act

EP Plenary session - Packaging and packaging waste

Single plastics

EE 2019 - 2019 European Elections campaign photo toolkit - Plastic waste

Returnable single-use bottles in Germany

Plenary session - Reduction of the impact of certain plastic products on the environment

Antonio TAJANI, EP President pose with a plastic cup to illustrate the interdiction of disposable cups, cutlery and straws from 2021.

Plastic waste

Plastic cup ban to reduce single-use litter

Plastic straw ban to reduce single-use litter

EP Press conference. Single-use plastics

Single-use plastic in food industry (drinks and food)

ENVI committee meeting.Vote on the reduction of the impact of certain plastic products on the environment

Plastic waste on beach. Plastic pollution. Plastic bottles

EP Plenary session - Plastics Strategy and chemical, product and waste legislation

EP Plenary session - Joint debate - Plastics Strategy and chemical, product and waste legislation

Frédérique RIES (ALDE, BE), rapporteur, speaks to the press about single-use plastics, during the plenary session (22-25/10/2018) of the European Parliament in Strasbourg.

Press conference by Frédérique RIES (ALDE, BE), rapporteur, on single-use plastics following the vote in plenary

This infoclip shows someone preparing the coffee table and using different plastic items, such as plastic capsule for the coffee machine, plastic cutlery, plastic glass, plastic package for the cookie and milk in a plastic capsule.

Infoclip: One single use plastics (part 2)

This infoclip illustrates single use plastics. People having a picnic in a park. A family sitting outside in the garden, drinking lemonade from plastic glasses with straws.

Infoclip: Single use plastics

New EU rules to reduce marine litter are voted on by the Environment and Public Health Committee (ENVI) in the European Parliament in Brussels. They target the main sources of macro-plastics found in Europe’s seas and beaches, which account for 70% of marine litter, and would ban products such as single-use cutlery, plates, plastic cotton buds and straws by 2021. Statements by Frédérique RIES (ALDE, BE) rapporteur

Reduction of the impact of certain plastic products on the environment: extracts from the vote on the report by Frédérique RIES (ALDE, BE) and illustrative shots

During the plenary session of the European Parliament (10-13/09/2018) in Strasbourg, MEPs debate on Plastics Strategy and chemical, product and waste legislation. (recorded 12/09). Statements by Mark DEMESMAEKER (ECR, BE), Rapporteur, Lukas MANDL, Author, Karoline EDSTADLER, Austrian State Secretary in the Ministry of the Interior, and Jyrki KATAINEN, Vice-President of the EC in charge of Jobs, Growth, Investment and Competitiveness

Plastics Strategy and chemical, product and waste legislation: extracts from the debate

Aiming of raise the sensibility to the pollution made by plastic bottles, bags and waste in the oceans, the event "PassOnPlastic" takes place in the EP in Brussels. Antonio TAJANI, EP President participates in this event. Statement, signature and family photo.

Antonio TAJANI, EP President participates in the Event "PassOnPlastic": extracts

This infoclip illustrates an open landfill close to Athens in Greece.

Infoclip: Circular economy - Landfills

This infoclip illustrates different aspects of plastics: plastic bags use in supermarkets, littering by plastic bag, and people picking up plastic rubbish on a beach.

Infoclip: Circular econonomy - Packaging materials

This infoclip illustrates waste management in several sectors: collecting and recycling plastic containers and recycling of collected batteries and clothes.

Infoclip : Circular economy - Waste reduction and recycling

This video infoclip illustrates different aspects of plastics: plastic bags use in supermarkets, littering by plastic bags, collection of maritime waste and recycling of plastics. From 00:07:03 to 00:07:42: © The Associated Press - The material is offered for the purpose of providing information and/or education on the European Union until 30/11/2020. The assignment to a third part is not allowed. For any other uses contact AP - www.aparchives.com

Infoclip: Plastics

This infoclip illustrates the effort sharing regulation and shows the gas emissions in different sectors such as buildings, agriculture, waste management, small industry and transport.

Infoclip: Effort sharing regulation - gas emission reductions

This infoclip illustrates an open landfills close to Athens in Greece : entrance, lorries and general views.

Infoclip: Waste management - Open landfills (Athens - Greece)

During the EP plenary session (13 - 16 March 2017) in Strasbourg,&nbsp; MEPs debate on various reports by Simona BONAFE (S&amp;D, IT) including: End-of-life vehicles, waste batteries and accumulators and waste electrical and electronic equipment - Landfill of waste - Waste - Packaging and packaging waste. Statements by Simona BONAFE (S&amp;D, IT), Rapporteur, Frans TIMMERMANS, First Vice-President of the EC in charge of Better Regulation, Inter-Institutional Relations, the Rule of Law and the Charter of Fundamental Rights, Pavel TELICKA (ALDE, CZ), Joao FERREIRA (GUE/NGL, PT), Karl-Heinz FLORENZ (EPP, DE) and Miriam DALLI (S&amp;D, MT).

Circular economy: extracts from the joint debate

During the EP plenary session (13 - 16 March 2017) in Strasbourg, MEPs vote on the report on waste by Simona BONAFE (S&amp;D, IT).&nbsp;The results are: 698 voters, 82 in favour, 88 against, 28 abstention. The report is adopted.
This video also contains illustrative material.

Circular economy - Waste management: extracts from the vote and B-roll (illustration)

This Infoclip illustrates waste management in several locations in Belgium.

Infoclip: Waste management (circular economy)

This Infoclip illustrates: recyclable paper, bin for recyclable paper, EP cleaning staf,, people putting in different types of waste in thrash can, paper waste container handling of plastic waste, handling of used batteries, compacting cardboard waste

Infoclip: Reducing environmental impact at the EP - waste collection and sorting

Debate on reducing the consumption of lightweight plastic carrier bags during the EP plenary session in Strasbourg. Statements by Margrete AUKEN (Greens/EFA, DK), Rapporteur, Karmenu VELLA, Member of the EC in charge of Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, György HÖLVÉNYI (EPP, HU), Simona BONAFÈ (S&D, IT), Gerben-Jan GERBRANDY (ALDE, NL), Eleonora FORENZA (GUE/NGL, IT), Michèle RIVASI (Greens/EFA, FR), Catherine BEARDER (ALDE, UK), Eleonora EVI (EFDD, IT) and Iratxe GARCÍA PÉREZ (S&D, ES)

Reducing the consumption of lightweight plastic carrier bags: extracts from the debate

This infoclip illustrates the use of plastic bags by food industry and supermarkets. Various shots of products displayed in the supermarket, fruits and vegetables in plastic bags and plastic carrier bags used by consumers. Outside views with plastic bags thrown away in the nature.

36 rezultatov