New EU Plastic Waste Ban Could Finally End Mini Hotel Toiletries and Single-Use Food Containers

The European Union may ban miniature hotel toiletries and single-use food containers to fight the growing plastic emergency.

Source: European Commission/YouTube

The proposal is a part of the European Green Deal, and the proposed revision of the legislation aims to make all p[ackaging reusable or recyclable by 2030. In addition, the proposal also aims to get rid of unnecessary packaging, support recycling, and raise awareness about the appropriate use and disposal of biodegradable plastics.

Euro News reported that in Europe, each person generates almost 180kg or nearly 400 lbs of packing waste every year. Packaging is a huge culprit in the plastic problem, and around 40 percent of plastics and 50 percent of paper used in the EU comes from packaging, Euro News reported.

The European Commission has warned that unless action against plastic is taken, plastic packing waste could rise by 46 percent by 2030.

The new law could ban certain forms of unnecessary packaging, including single-use packaging for food and beverages when consumed inside restaurants and cafes, single-use packaging for fruits and vegetables, and mini shampoo and toiletries or other mini packaging in hotels.

Globally, we produce 300 million tons of plastic every year, 78 percent of which is NOT reclaimed or recycled. Around 8.8 million tons of plastic get dumped into the oceans every year! 700 marine animals are faced with extinction due to the threat that plastic poses to them in the form of entanglement, pollution, and ingestion. 50 percent of sea turtles have plastic in their stomachs. By 2050, 99 percent of all seabird species will have ingested plastic waste. According to a study by the World Economic Forum, there will be one tonne of plastic for every three tonnes of fish by 2025, and if things go on business as usual, there will be more plastic in the ocean than fish by 2050.

Read more about how companies like Facebook, Tupperware, Google, Dove,  Budweiser, Carlsberg, and FIJI Water are working towards reducing plastic pollution. Places around the world like Tel Aviv, California, Baltimore, Scotland, and many more are banning various single-use plastics, and others are coming up with creative ways to recycle and use plastic waste.

There are products you may be using or habits you may have that contribute to plastic pollution. Learn more about how the use of Teabags, Cotton Swabs, Laundry, Contact Lenses, Glitter, and Sheet Masks pollute our oceans so you can make more informed decisions going forward. There are also numerous simple actions and switches that can help cut plastic out of our lives including, making your own cosmetics, shampoo, toothpaste, soap, and household cleaners, using  mason jars, reusable bags/bottles/straws, and avoiding microbeads!

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