EU Plastics ban

The war against plastic took another momentous step earlier this week. The European Parliament voted 571-53 to ban many single-use plastics entirely throughout the EU by 2021. The main targets of the vote were items such as plastic cutlery, drink-stirrers, balloon sticks and cotton buds. Without wholly banning them, it has also been recommended that single-use plastic items such as cups should be radically reduced.

The UK, on the precipice of leaving the EU, will likely have to incorporate these new recommendations into its legal system during the Brexit transition period. One of the principle reasons attributed for the surge in plastic action was Briton, David Attenborough’s ‘Blue Planet’ series, which made evident the extent of plastic waste in our oceans.

FrédériqueRies, the MEP responsible for crafting the bill, declared that his creation was a ‘victory for our oceans, for the environment and for future generations.’ While this may be a slightly hyperbolic statement, especially considering EU plastic waste that ends up in the sea is minimal, it is unquestionably another noteworthy step towards achieving a more sustainable way of life.