EP approves ban on throwaway plastics by 2021

PARIS/BRUSSELS

The European Parliament on Wednesday approved a new law to ban single-use plastic items such as cutlery and plates, straws and cotton buds sticks by 2021, a statement said.

“This legislation will reduce the environmental damage bill by €22 billion ($24.7 billion), the estimated cost of plastic pollution in Europe until 2030,” Frederique Ries, Member of the European Parliament (MEP) for the French Community of Belgium, said in the plenary session of the parliament.

“Europe now has a legislative model to defend and promote at international level, given the global nature of the issue of marine pollution involving plastics. This is essential for the planet,” Ries added.

The law offers EU members to achieve a 90 percent collection target for plastic bottles by 2029. Plastic bottles will also have to contain at least 25 percent of recycled content by 2025 and 30 percent by 2030, said the statement by the European Parliament.

Plans to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions from cars and vans by 2030 were also approved by the parliament, it added.

Members of the European Parliament and EU ministers agreed on a legislation to set 37.5 percent CO2 reduction target for new cars and 31 percent for new vans by 2030.

“As Parliament, we strongly fought to safeguard the environmental integrity of the proposal and bring real health, consumer and innovation benefits to European citizens," said rapporteur Miriam Dalli.

"We achieved this legislation, despite fierce opposition from the car industry and certain Member States, which refused to acknowledge the opportunities that stem from a more ambitious target,” she added.

* Writing and contribution by Erdogan Cagatay Zontur from Ankara.