Germany is banning the sale of single-use plastics from this Saturday, applying a European directive intended to protect the oceans from pollution.
The new law, passed in September 2020, notably prohibits "cotton swabs, cutlery, plates, straws, stirrers, balloon sticks and cups".
Certain polystyrene packaging, used as food containers, is also affected by the ban.
The text applies a European directive, adopted in 2018 after several months of negotiations between member states, banning a dozen different categories of plastics.
According to the European Commission, the products concerned represent 70% of the waste washed up in the oceans and on the beaches.
For lack of alternative, a warning about environmental damage
The sale of pre-existing stocks should remain authorized beyond 2021, allowing production already carried out to be sold.
Other plastic products for which there are no alternatives yet, such as wipes, cigarettes with plastic filters or tampons, are still permitted.
But they must now be labeled, with a notice warning consumers of the environmental damage caused by plastic.
Information will also be provided on how to dispose of it properly.
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The German project also provides that administrations give priority to “products made from recycled materials” in tenders for supplies, in order to encourage the circular economy.
For only the third time since the start of the industrial era, annual global plastic production fell in 2020, by 0.3%, due to the health crisis.
On the whole planet, “with 367 million tonnes (MT) of plastics produced in 2020 against 368 MT in 2019, this is the third global drop since the post-war period, after that which occurred in 1973 at the time of the first oil shock, and that of 2008, during the financial crisis, ”according to the European association of plastics producers.
Global production of plastic waste could increase by 41% by 2030, and double the amount in the oceans to reach 300 million tonnes, warns the animal welfare association WWF, however.