Filenews 5 June 2021 - by Despina Psyllaou
Conversely, time is running out for single-use plastics, as in less than a month the import and production of certain items, such as straws, cotton swabs, plates, cutlery and food packaging, stops.
In particular, after 3 July 2021, operators will also use the latest stocks of these items, replacing them with more environmentally friendly materials. At the same time, from 3 July 2021 another category of objects will be marked as including plastic. As Environment Commissioner Clelia Vassiliou told "F", the aim is to reduce plastic pollution as well as the volume of waste while promoting reuse.
In particular, Mrs Vassiliou explained that these are measures contained in a regulation adopted by the European Commission in 2019 under legislation which comes into force from 3 July 2021. "Some products are placed under a total ban. Others are placed under labelling. Others are accompanied by reduction guidelines for their use.". In the prohibition regime, he explained, oxo-detachable plastics, such as cotton swabs, plates, cutlery, straws, beverage stirrers, food packaging, cups of expanded polystyrene, balloon rods, oxo-detachable plastic products will be put in place.
In addition, a category of items which are placed under the labelling procedure is created. 'For two years a sticker should be affixed to them informing them that they contain quantities of plastic. After two years the sticker stops and the indication is embedded on the object. For example this will be applied to a paper glass that internally has plastic film for liquids. This is mixed material that does not fall under the category of prohibited'.
He noted, at the same time, that a bill has been in place since last December in the Legal Service to be passed by the House and become the law of the state. 'However, it does not cease to apply and enters into force as a European regulation'. As he said, this legislation will regulate the time available to businesses until they use and exhaust their stocks in disposable plastics. "This is because it does not want the State to create a problem for the companies that have purchased these materials." However, he said, it's clear that their import and production are stopping. In addition, he said the bill also provides for the management of fisheries waste. 'It has been observed that huge quantities of fishing gear, which contain plastic, are found in the seas. The Commission's Commissioner for the Environment, Oceans and Fisheries said 11,000 tonnes of fisheries litter end up in EU seas."
As Mrs Vassiliou explains, efforts and regulations to abolish single-use plastics fall under the European Green Agreement. "There has been a debate for many years about the destructive presence of single-use plastics. The debate on the plastic carrier bag has already taken place. The issue of microplastics has already been opened up and for many years there has been an encouragement to use more environmentally friendly materials as well as reusable means. The overconsumption of these materials and the convenience they offered in our lives did not facilitate the restriction of use." Thus, the Commissioner notes, the Commission, aware of the problem, has banned them. "There was no other way to protect the environment, habitats and human health from microplastics."
