With just a few days to go before the vote of the European Parliament, scheduled for next week in Strasbourg, on the proposal for a directive aimed at limiting the use of single-use plastic, the civil society within the alliance “Rethink Plastic” urged MEPs on Wednesday 17 October to seize this “historic opportunity to lead in halting the tide of single-use plastics”.
The NGO coalition (including Friends of the Earth, Greenpeace, the EEB, Zerowaste Europe) that had given the rapporteur, Frédérique Ries (ALDE), a petition signed by over 260,000 citizens, considers the vote at the environment committee is “encouraging” as it reviews the ambition of the initial text upward (see EUROPE 12114).
In order to make further improvements, the NGOs call on Parliament to:
- Strengthen the definition of “single-use” plastic so that it is clear and legally binding in order to prevent products being relabelled as reusable in order to by-pass the legislation. While the text on the table covers products in which plastic is the major structural component, they suggest the following definition: “A single-use plastic product is a product made entirely or partially of plastic and which is intended, designed or marketed to be used during a short period, without multiple refilling or re-use before being thrown away”.
- Ensure that the directive covers bio-based and bio-degradable plastics. “These plastics are not the solution. Our market is inundated with such false solutions”, said Zelena Akcija of Friends of the Earth, Croatia, speaking during a press conference.
- Support a system of greater producer responsibility which covers the cost of waste management and cleaning.
- Keep all products that have been added to the list of products to be banned such as ultra-light plastic bags, food containers and drink containers in expanded polystyrene, and products made out of oxo-biodegradable plastic.
- Add specific provisions for feminine hygiene products with a view to encouraging programmes for increasing awareness of re-usable alternatives and the marketing of such alternatives instead of tampons and sanitary towels. (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)