SUP-Directive
Single use plastics, most of which come from packaging, is an ever larger source of the plastic soup. The European Union intends to take action and has thus compiled the SUP-Directive.
Extended producer responsibility
Reducing the environmental impact of a product, also taking into account the waste phase of a product, falls under the name of extended producer responsibility. This principle is increasingly being embraced by governments and businesses. If waste can be used again as raw material, it brings the desired circular economy closer. But plastic as waste has hardly any value and so there is little enthusiasm among entrepreneurs to curb the plastic soup using this principle. A deposit system for packaging is the most appealing example of extended producer responsibility. In this case, the packaging is returned by the consumer for a fee.
Container deposit systems
The call for deposits on plastic packaging, especially that of containers for drinks, is getting louder all over the world. In the Netherlands, there has been bickering about deposits on drink packaging (statiegeld) for twenty years. When you return large PET bottles you receive your deposit back. Therefore, you rarely find these bottles on the street. A report by CE-Delft from 2017 shows that the expansion of the container deposit system to small bottles and cans would lead to significantly less litter, reduced costs and it fits within the philosophy of the circular economy. Supermarkets and soft drink manufacturers nevertheless have distanced themselves from this extended producer responsibility option and continue to do so. For many companies, the (alleged extra) costs of container deposits are a more important argument than a world without plastic litter.
Fishing gear
Ghost nets and other fishing gear drifting around in the oceans contribute greatly to the plastic soup. It is therefore essential to encourage fishermen not to leave discarded nets in the sea, but to return them to land. The European Commission decided that member states must introduce extended producer responsibility to achieve that. This means that the producers of plastic fishing gear will bear the costs of collecting, transporting, and recycling all the old fishing gear that fishermen return to the ports.
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Precautionary Principle
What measures already exist to prevent ocean pollution, and how can they be reinforced?
Polluter Pays Principle
The polluter pays principle is that someone is financially responsible for the elimination of the pollution they cause.
Source of Plastic Pollution
Single-use plastic ban is one of the ways to tackle the source of plastic pollution, but is it enough? Learn more about ways to stop plastic at its source.
