EU & Canada Are Banning Single-Use Plastics In 2021
Dear Friends & Neighbors,
Plastic cleanup (Attribution: Thirdman, Presented at: WindermereSun.com)
Plastics on beach (Attribution: Lucien Wanda, Presented at: WindermereSun.com)
Plastics (Attribution: Magda Ehlers, Presented at: WindermereSun.com)
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Did you know that, from July 3, 2021, the European Union (EU) banned certain single-use plastic items such as cotton bud sticks, cutlery (plastic forks, knives, spoons, chopsticks), plates, straws, stirrers, balloon sticks, oxo-degradable plastics and expandable polystyrene (EPS) food containers and cups? And Canada will soon follow by the end of 2021. This European effort in curtailing plastic pollution by creating world’s first circular plastics regime will help to establish an expansive and potentially lucrative European market for recycled or recyclable plastics.
In the video published on July 6, 2021, “EU bans 10 most common single-use plastic products |Money Talks“, below:
In the video published on Oct. 8, 2020, “Canada banning single-use plastics by the end of 2021“, below:
In the video published on Dec. 8, 2019, “The Great Pacific Garbage Patch“, below:
In Europe, about 85% of saltwater beaches and seas exceed pollution standards on marine litter. At Mediterranean Sea, researchers are collecting, on average, 274 pieces of plastic refuse per 100 meters of shoreline. Microplastics have also turned coastal waters into toxic plastic soups beneath the waves.
To address the almost 28 million U.S. tons of plastic waste being generated annually, European Union began the ban on July 3, 2021, halting the sale of 10 plastic products most commonly washed up on the shoreline of Europe: plastic bottle caps, cutlery, straws and plates, as well as Styrofoam food and beverage containers.
Many EU measures are now driving investments and innovations toward circular solutions that will define Europe’s low-carbon economy and boost its global competitiveness. Instead of the current linear economy, a circular economy is one in which products and materials are kept in use during their entire life cycle, from designing and manufacturing to reusing or recycling, instead of having products ending up in the trash bin, as they often do in a linear economy.
The world is choking on plastic waste. The European Commission as well as industry lead initiatives plan to switch plastics production, use and recovery from a linear model to a circular economy for plastics. By 2025 a minimum of 10 million tonnes of plastic recyclates is to be used in products on the EU market. And by 2030 all plastics packaging on the market shall be reusable or recyclable. Recycling waste and creating high-purity recyclates from it, that fulfill requirements for a wide number of products is still a challenge today. Re-designing of products will contribute to meeting this challenge but it is just one side of the medal and will not bring a circular economy for plastics about on its own. Innovation in recycling technology is needed to ‘come full cycle’. The important aspect: innovation needs to merge increased quality with reduced environmental impact. Quality up and emissions down, this is what APK focusses on. Our physical solvent-based recycling process Newcycling is producing very pure re-granulates (close to virgin plastics) from plastics waste. And they save on average up to 66% emissions compared to virgin plastics. Together with strong investment partners Newcycling will provide a key contribution to the European Commission’s goal of a circular economy for plastics and to the measures defined in the Plastics Strategy and the Green Deal. Interested in investing in innovative recycling and keeping emissions low? In the video published on July 1, 2021, “Newcycling – investing in a circular economy for plastics“, below:
The Circular Economy Package is crucial starting point for a successful transition to a circular economy, in which the value of products, materials and resources is maintained in the economy for as long as possible, in the video published on April 30, 2019, “EU’s Circular Economy Package in a Nutshell: New Packaging Legislation explained“, below:
In recent years, global production of plastics has increased, reaching 311 million tonnes per year, and is expected to double over the next 20 years. European plastics demand amounts to around 49 million tonnes per year. The main uses are packaging, building and construction, automotive and electronics. Plastics also have important functions: light and innovative materials in cars or planes can reduce CO2 emissions, save fuel and contribute to meeting our climate goals. High-performance insulation materials can keep our houses warm and help us save on our energy bills. Though, the ways plastics are currently produced, consumed and discarded produce negative side effects. So, what’s next for the EU? Push for smart and sustainable material and product design, fund research and innovation into recyclable plastics, provide consumers with reliable information, reduce single use plastics, improve waste collection, end illegal landfills, restrict the use of micro-plastics in certain products, revise drinking water rules to encourage tap water and reduce plastic bottle use, last but not least show global leadership, in the video published on Aug. 16, 2018, “Circular Economy Plastics Strategy – Consumers“, below:
On 23 January 2018, Jyrki Katainen, Vice-President of the EC in charge of Jobs, Growth, Investment and Competitiveness, participated in a Facebook Live session on Plastic Strategy. Plastics are an important material in our economy, and modern daily life is unthinkable without them. At the same time however, they can have serious downsides on the environment and health. Action on plastics was identified as a priority in the 2015 Circular Economy Action Plan, to help European businesses and consumers to use resources in a more sustainable way. The first-ever European Strategy for Plastics in a Circular Economy adopted on January 16, 2018 will transform the way plastic products are designed, used, produced and recycled in the EU. Better design of plastic products, higher plastic waste recycling rates, more and better quality recyclates will help boosting the market for recycled plastics. It will deliver greater added value for a more competitive, resilient plastics industry, in the video published on Aug. 16, 2018, “Live Chat: Plastics strategy“, below:
Aftermovie for the 5th Enhanced Landfill Mining Symposium in Leuven (5-2-2020) (made by Stijn van Baarle, Storyrunner). Referring to the EC’s #europeangreendeal the video highlights that the pending #circulareconomy Action Plan suffers from one major blind spot. How can we deal with the landfilled waste of the past, irrespective of the urgent need to avoid new waste creation and disposal in the future? It’s not just about waste flows but also about waste stocks! In the video published on Feb. 21, 2020, “The Dark Side of the Circular Economy“, below:
So, when will USA and rest of the world join the race in ridding single-use plastics?
Gathered, written, and posted by Windermere Sun-Susan Sun Nunamaker More about the community at www.WindermereSun.com
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