Is The Eu Proposed Ban On Single Use Plastic Items A Good Thing?

[sandyRoe]

Is it something we should consider?

[Old_Geezer]

Need to look into consequences, but worth considering. How does one know something will just be used once ?

[cassa333]

Tell that to the NHS who chuck everything out after one use.

[-Talbot-]

Yes.

[woofgang]

I think its an impossible thing. There are very good reasons why some items, eg medical ones, should be single use but there should be a way to extract the recyclable elements to be ground or melted down and re used. I do agree that there should be a deposit system for plastic bottles but not sure how that could work

[-Talbot-]

How couldn't it work?

[Prudie]

Absolutely. There's plenty of things that don't impact on the medical - cotton buds, drinking straws, plastic drink cups, tampon covers - we managed well enough before they were made of plastic

[Buenchico]

Perhaps some clarification is needed here: While there are sound environmental reasons for reducing (or eliminating) the use of many plastic items, the EU plans announced today ONLY deal with "the 10 single-use plastic products most often found on Europe's beaches and seas". (So references on this thread to things like medical items are actually irrelevant here).

Further, the proposal AREN'T for outright bans on ALL such products but for the producers of SOME materials to be required to contribute to clean-up costs. (However SOME products WILL be banned under the proposals). There will also be obligations upon EU member states to meet COLLECTION TARGETS for single-use plastic bottles.

http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-18-3927_en.htm

Given that marine pollution (which is what the proposals seek to address) is a major concern to many people, the EU plans make perfect sense to me.