EU backs ban on plastic straws, balloon sticks

Posted on November 5, 2018 by DrRossH in Plastic Straws

BRUSSELS: EU countries on Wednesday backed the outlawing of certain single-use plastics, bringing the bloc a step closer to an outright ban on the products which account for huge quantities of waste in the world’s oceans.

Source: EU backs ban on plastic straws, balloon sticks

While the European Commission, the bloc’s executive arm, has suggested that clean-up costs should be paid by plastic producers, the council wants to see companies which import and sell the products pay a share as well.

The council also called for national targets to cut the consumption of single-use plastics where there is currently no environmentally-friendly alternative.

The commission has said single-use plastics account for some 70 percent of the waste in the oceans and beaches, and research last week appeared to show for the first time the widespread presence of plastics in the human food chain.

The manufacturers need to be held partially responsible, that is a must.  But the importers and sellers need to be held to the same as the are all responsible for the items getting loose into the environment.  As is the final consumer user.