The European Parliament has voted for a complete ban on a range of single-use plastics across the union in a bid to stop pollution of the oceans. This vote comes at the heels of a critical report published by the UN on the state of the environment and the potential global catastrophe if no action is taken. According to the UNEP, plastic..
The European Parliament has voted for a complete ban on a range of single-use plastics across the union in a bid to stop the pollution of the oceans.
This vote comes at the heels of a critical report published by the UN on the state of the environment and the potential global catastrophe if no action is taken.
Background
According to the UNEP, plastic is defined as “any synthetic or semi-synthetic polymer with thermo-plastic or thermo-set properties, which may be synthesized from hydrocarbon or biomass raw materials.” Besides polymers, plastic also often contains a number of other harmful chemicals, used to alter physical properties such as colour and shape. The commercial use of plastic as we know it today began in the 1950s. Since then, the world has generated 8.3 billion tonnes plastic waste. As a result of the widespread use of plastic and consumerist culture, plastic has become a major source of pollution.
Dumping plastic in oceans is thought to adversely affect up to 700 different forms of marine life. A number of seabirds and fish consume or get entangled in plastic paraphernalia disposed in the ocean, which often results in death. As a result, there have been global calls to tackle this issue. The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is a collection of floating trash in the Pacific Ocean. It stretches across an area widely described as “larger than Texas”, and weighs 79,000 tons. 94% of the 1.8 trillion pieces of plastic in the patch are microplastics.
The EU’s research on the topic says about 150,000 tonnes of plastic are tossed into European waters every year.
Analysis
The European Parliament has voted for a complete ban on a range of single-use plastics across the union in a bid to stop pollution of the oceans.
MEPs backed a ban on plastic cutlery and plates, cotton buds, straws, drink-stirrers and balloon sticks. The proposal also calls for a reduction in single-use plastic for food and drink containers like plastic cups. One MEP said, if no action was taken, “by 2050 there will be more plastic than fish in the oceans”.
The European Commission proposed a ban in May, following a surge in public support attributed to documentaries such as David Attenborough’s BBC Blue Planet series. The measure still has to clear some procedural hurdles but is expected to go through. The EU hopes it will go into effect across the bloc by 2021.
After the Parliament vote was backed by 571-53, the MEP responsible for the bill, Frédérique Ries, said it was “a victory for our oceans, for the environment and for future generations.” Several countries are already considering proposals to target disposable plastic products – including the UK.
The directive targets some of the most common ocean-polluting plastics. The list of banned items such as cutlery and cotton buds were chosen because there are readily available alternatives, such as paper straws and cardboard containers. Other items, “where no alternative exists” will still have to be reduced by 25% in each country by 2025. Examples given include burger boxes and sandwich wrappers.
MEPs also tacked on amendments to the plans for cigarette filters, a plastic pollutant that is common litter on beaches. Cigarette makers will have to reduce the plastic by 50% by 2025 and 80% by 2030.
Another ambitious target is to ensure 90% of all plastic drinks’ bottles are collected for recycling by 2025. Currently, bottles and their lids account for about 20% of all the sea plastic, the European Parliament report said. Manufacturers will also have to take more responsibility for what happens to their plastic products and packaging.
Assessment
Our assessment is that directly or indirectly, plastic has serious health implications on humanity. We believe that countries should capitalize on waste, by reusing, reducing and recycling. States around neighbouring oceans should hold dialogues and implement necessary laws to ensure maintenance of the ocean’s health. We also feel that Food and Water safety legislation may have to be modified, contingent on WHO findings.
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