The European Union is entering a new phase in its policy against single-use plastics. The focus is on promoting recycling and adjusting regulations to support the circular economy. At the same time, France has chosen to delay a national ban on plastic disposable cups because alternatives are still lacking.
Within the EU, addressing single-use plastics has been high on the environmental agenda for several years. The so-called directive on single-use plastics targets ten product groups most commonly found on European beaches. These constitute the majority of marine litter. Drink cups and beverage containers are explicitly included in this approach.
The current EU directive combines various measures. Some products are no longer allowed on the market when sustainable alternatives are widely available. For other products, the EU focuses on reducing usage, and manufacturers of disposable packaging are partially responsible (i.e., co-financing collection and waste management).
An important element concerns plastic bottles. EU countries must work towards high collection rates, while producers are required to use a minimum share of recycled plastic. For PET bottles, the target is 25 percent, rising to 30 percent for all plastic beverage bottles by 2030.
Against this backdrop, the European Commission has proposed to relax the rules regarding recycled plastic. Plastic processed through chemical recycling would also be allowed to count towards collection targets. The European Commission states that this could stimulate investments and provide greater legal certainty for companies.
According to the Commission, the European recycling sector is under pressure, with low utilization rates and financial problems. By allowing new technologies, it aims to increase capacity for reuse and accelerate the transition to a circular economy. A similar proposal had previously lacked support and has now been revised.
Critics question this approach. They point out that chemical recycling often involves a mix of waste and new plastic, so there is a risk that the recycled content in products appears higher than it actually is. They refer to this as possible greenwashing.
Meanwhile, a parallel debate is ongoing in France. The government in Paris has decided to postpone the ban on plastic disposable cups by four years, until 2030. According to the government, a recent evaluation showed that it is not yet technically feasible to completely remove plastic from cups for general use.
Because the EU rules impose a tax on unnecessary use of plastic packaging (cups, bottles, etc.), the postponement of the French cup ban effectively means that Paris will not pass this EU tax on to the industry but will continue paying it to Brussels itself.