Updated at 4.15pm with FoE reaction
Plastic cutlery, straws and cotton buds could be banned across Europe as the European Union finally gets tough on single-use plastics which are choking the world’s seas.
New rules proposed by the European Commission on Monday seek to target the 10 single-use plastic items most commonly found on European beaches and in its seas, and which make up a massive 70 per cent of all marine litter.
Among other things, the rules would ban plastic cotton buds, cutlery, plates, straws, drink stirrers and sticks for balloons. Plastic single-use drinks containers will only be allowed if their lids and and caps remain attached.
The rules will also require member states to reduce the use of plastic food containers and drinks cups, with a 90 per cent reduction target proposed by 2025.
The Commission also wants producers of items such as crisp packets, cigarette filters, wet wipes, balloons and lightweight plastic bags to help cover the costs of waste management, clean-up and awareness-raising efforts, and is pushing for wet wipes, sanitary towels and balloons to come with warning labels indicating their harmful environmental impact.
Proposals also include calls to make producers of plastic fishing gear pay for collecting, transporting and treating fishing gear litter from ports, as well as for awareness-raising measures. Fishing gear alone amounts to 27 per cent of all beach litter found.
EU-wide surveys have indicated that an overwhelming percentage of Europeans believe action on single-use plastics is urgent and needed. 79 per cent of respondents said the EU should lead efforts to reform laws.
"This Commission promised to be big on the big issues and leave the rest to Member States. Plastic waste is undeniably a big issue and Europeans need to act together to tackle this problem, because plastic waste ends up in our air, our soil, our oceans, and in our food,” said European Commission first vice-president Frans Timmermans.
The Commission’s proposals are still a long way from becoming law, and must be approved by both MEPs as well as EU member states at European Council level before they become effective.
READ: The plastic atlas of the world
The proposals were welcomed by environmental NGO Oceana, which however urged European lawmakers to extend the ban further to encompass all single-use plastic products across the EU.
"“The only way to stop plastics pouring into our oceans is to turn off the flow at its source: production," said Oceana Europe executive director Lasse Gustavasson.
"By reducing the amount of unnecessary plastic we produce, we can make a real difference to the global marine litter crisis."
The move has been welcomed by local eNGO Friends of the Earth.
Martin Galea De Giovanni, director, said: “Following the public outcry these new laws are addressing the call of citizens. These positives steps will cut pollution and at the same time create job opportunities.”
It urged other EU institutions to treat the issue as a priority and try and deliver “tangible results” before next year’s MEP elections.