It is estimated that 171 trillion microplastic particles float in the ocean
A new study estimates that 171 trillion microplastics float on the surface of the ocean. Urgent action is required.
Plastic lobby delays disposable plastic directive
29 March 2021
The Single Use Plastics Directive will take effect on 3 July. To reduce plastic litter and the overabundant use of plastic, a number of single-use plastic products (cutlery, stirrers) will be banned. Other products (cigarette filters, wet wipes) will contain labels stating that plastic is bad for the environment. Manufacturers of other products such as food packaging will have to contribute financially to cleaning up and educate the people.
The European Commission has produced a guide that lists which single-use plastic products are subject to the Directive. This guide should have been officially finalised last summer. However, it has not yet been issued, primarily because of the plastic industry lobbying behind the scenes.
DELAYING TACTICS WORK
The environmental movement stands squarely behind the draft text of the guide. Finally a European policy that tackles plastic use and the plastic soup.
After the draft text of the guide was submitted to the member states in January for their comments, the industry listed their objections in a public statement. They pleaded for more time. A recently published second public statement declares that companies have not had enough time to meet the SUP obligations. Changing (the design of) packaging can take a year, while the Directive would take effect in a few months.
In short, the industry first delayed everything and then used the delay to claim that it was force majeure.
WILL THE INDUSTRY GET ITS WAY?
Will the industry get away with the second delaying tactic? It seems that it will. Last November, the Dutch House of Representatives was informed that the guide had still not been issued. The Letter to Parliament stated that this did not mean a delay for the SUP Directive, which would take effect on 3 July anyway. The Government will then have to enforce the Directive, for example by monitoring that the right information appears on the packaging. But at the same time, the Minister already announced her policy in her letter: ‘reasonable methods of enforcement’.
It thus looks like the plastic industry will get away with it when products that do not bear the right information are brought to market and contravene the letter or the spirit of the Single Use Plastics Directive. Industry knows beforehand that there will be little enforcement.
The Government must fully support the text of the guide and not reward industry with more time.
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