EU Commission plans ban on plastic waste

[Aggrophobic]

Good. Can't come soon enough.
They just have to make sure that the replacements won't have an even more negative effect on the environment however.

[Cosmic Janitor]

Alternatively, people will just ship more of their plastic crap to Africa (and then we will all point fingers at them for turning the Niger river into a sewage pipe, oblivious of how much of our very toxic waste we have shipped there).

That is the thing, many western countries pay for these 2 regions to take the plastic trash. Africa is certainly not the main producer of plastic bags. For it to change you need to start at the source and that would be demand in western countries.

[Grimbold21]

https://www.theweathernetwork.com/ne...n-rivers/89034

Together responsible for 95%!

That means the remaining 5% comes from 4 other continents. I doubt the EU is even responsible for more than 1%, which is near nothing.

It would make more sense if Europe was somehow exporting their trash to those regions, but this just seems like a symbolic measure.

I'm not gonna disagree with it, but an actual measure would be terminating imports of such materials from those areas.

[Deleted]

I'm for it. Would like a full list of things they intend to do away with though.

Can live without plastic spoons, and cutlery. Straws yeah, but I remember when I had a tooth taken out and the only thing that let me drink without pain was throw a straw, but maybe their be alternatives.

It's funny you mention that because I've read about how pubs are thinking about replacing their plastic straws with pasta ones. I know it sounds weird but apparently the pasta doesnt have an effect on the taste and is far more biodegradable than plastic.

[Skulltaker]

It would make more sense if Europe was somehow exporting their trash to those regions, but this just seems like a symbolic measure.

I'm not gonna disagree with it, but an actual measure would be terminating imports of such materials from those areas.

At least germany is. Huge ammounts. However, China declared earlier this year/late last year that they won't be buying our waste anymore. I'd assume the same holds true for the rest of the EU.

[Deleted]

Umm why is the plastic going into the ocean anyways? It should either be recycled or burried in a sealed landfill.

People dumping trash into rivers because they don't want to pay -> eventually a portion reaches the seas.
Landfill sites not having high enough fences or any at all which means the wind can just blow portions of it anywhere.
Certain birds are attracted by shiny things and plastic always reflects into the sun and then they eventually drop it wherever.
Industrial leakages since there aren't really solid laws against it yet.
Micro plastics that we flush through (those micro things in scrub lotions etc).

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At least germany is. Huge ammounts. However, China declared earlier this year/late last year that they won't be buying our waste anymore. I'd assume the same holds true for the rest of the EU.

Correct. Most EU states do handle a majority of their own recycling, I know Belgium, the Netherlands does so as they've invested a lot into recycling, whereas the UK, France and Germany have been lazy and they'll be the ones that will have short term problems, although recycling plants aren't very expensive to build and they don't take much time to get built either.

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It's funny you mention that because I've read about how pubs are thinking about replacing their plastic straws with pasta ones. I know it sounds weird but apparently the pasta doesnt have an effect on the taste and is far more biodegradable than plastic.

There's already recycled paper/carton straws for a while now, that will become the standard most likely.

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I think it's all nice and what not, but we are already doing very well in Europe (and in the Western world in general).

If you take into account that like 90-95% of all plastic waste in the ocean originates from Asian countries, I think the best way to tackle plastic problems is to push those countries to do something about it.

Here in the EU it's only about making things even more expensive for the consumer and businesses while not actually making a noticeable difference doing so.

Things naturally become more expensive because that's how life works.

Recycling did not make products that much more expensive in my country, it was estimated at a 0.1% rise back then.

Not to mention the cost of fixing something that's already escalated is a lot higher than the minimal cost increase that you have to pay to introduce recycling. Up to date, the EU air and water quality has improved by 40% since 2010.

[D Luniz]

I think it's all nice and what not, but we are already doing very well in Europe (and in the Western world in general).

If you take into account that like 90-95% of all plastic waste in the ocean originates from Asian countries, I think the best way to tackle plastic problems is to push those countries to do something about it.

Here in the EU it's only about making things even more expensive for the consumer and businesses while not actually making a noticeable difference doing so.

considering how often here people use the argument of "well your not so why should I", it probly occurs to most people that before trying to get other parts of the world to not use such destructive practices that we should move from them ourselves

rather than just raising our hands in the air and going "oh well"

[Slant]

EU is on a strange roll with rather good ideas lately. About time.

They've always had these good ideas. What they didn't have is a proper PR department. I think Brexit has caused them to rethink their position on active transparency (as in going out and telling people you're awesome) instead of passive transparency (as in waiting humbly until someone notices you're awesome by digging shit up on your horribly complicated website).

[Slant]

I think it's all nice and what not, but we are already doing very well in Europe (and in the Western world in general).

If you take into account that like 90-95% of all plastic waste in the ocean originates from Asian countries, I think the best way to tackle plastic problems is to push those countries to do something about it.

Here in the EU it's only about making things even more expensive for the consumer and businesses while not actually making a noticeable difference doing so.

Leading by example is a thing. We cannot tell others how to run their businesses, but we can change things here and hope other people catch up. And it'll reduce local contamination of the Baltic, the Northern and the Mediterranean Sea. The list they compiled is derived from the top 10 things that get washed up on shore in Europe, so it's not totally made up stuff.

[Nutri]

just wanna see the impact this will have against things like mcdonalds, no more drinking straws or plastic caps for drinks.

I don't eat in those places, just wanna see mcdonalds lose business.

When they spoke about these plans on the (Dutch) radio, McDonalds had already stated they will not ban plastics. This is of course, until law forbids them to, since for now it's an initiative.

[Lochton]

It's a good idea but I'd rather we also handled glass waste.

[Evangeliste]

Most things are being changed to the stronger paper versions already.

A few Mcdonalds here are already on that gravy train with their straws in the UK being paper based. Probably more but their containers have been paper for a while now if not years.

Still long time coming. Better late than never.

[Deleted]

Now we just need the reset of the world, to do the same...

The EU isnt the largest "contributor" of plastic waste in the Ocean, but the UN says they are lesser developed countries, so they always get a free-be.

Ps. I know some people will reply with a "but the west, raped those countries of natural resources" ...

[Grimbold21]

That's the thing: Trading trash is a HUGE business, and guess what countries/regions take the vast majority of western exports, and then take a guess what is being done with all the exported stuff. The brilliant part: Shipped out trash counts towards the "properly disposed of" statistics of the exporting countries. Neat eh?

Yes, but do western countries tell or have any say in what way those countries/regions deal with the imported trash?

[Najnaj]

just wanna see the impact this will have against things like mcdonalds, no more drinking straws or plastic caps for drinks.

I don't eat in those places, just wanna see mcdonalds lose business.

Virtually none. Burgers used to be wrapped in paper and not drinking out of a straw is what we do most of the time anyway. The plastic cap is for using it while you move I am guessing so most people do not need it. It is optional for the customer to get here in Canada along with straws and I don't think I have ever gotten either.

Most plastic use is really, really non essential and very easily gotten rid of.

[Bethanie]

Most things are being changed to the stronger paper versions already.

A few Mcdonalds here are already on that gravy train with their straws in the UK being paper based. Probably more but their containers have been paper for a while now if not years.

Still long time coming. Better late than never.

I've never understood why people use straws in places like McDonald's anyway. I always just take the lid of the cup and drink like I would from a pint glass. No straw required.

Hell they could actually replace the plastic/paper cups with pint glasses, it would probably be cheaper to clean the glasses than keep buying disposable cups anyway.

[PL-Cibo]

There will be exceptions for medical reasons, for example drainage tubes will be exempt, straws to drink for medical reasons will most likely follow.

drinking straws shouldn't be a problem, we do have bio-plastics for this shit. unfortunately they don't last long enough to be used in permanent applications.

[Evangeliste]

I've never understood why people use straws in places like McDonald's anyway. I always just take the lid of the cup and drink like I would from a pint glass. No straw required.

Hell they could actually replace the plastic/paper cups with pint glasses, it would probably be cheaper to clean the glasses than keep buying disposable cups anyway.

I will admit, it is probably the only place I would use a straw, other times I won't really bother with one. Even then I don't dine out on Mcdonalds specifically so in the long run, I don't use straws and if I don't get one, I do drink from the cup. I think the problem is, drinking from the cup is socially abnormal so it's not done often.

I mean I guess they stick to paper based and disposable because they are family friendly... You don't give a child of 5 a pint glass let alone a glass at all - if you believe they're fine then I would potentially cite you may not be as experienced as someone myself who has children. And I will explain that children up to a certain age have no concept of danger or understand action and reaction, it goes pretty high and why 13 is like the age of consent/permission and crap. If you know what I mean great, but yeah, there's a reason why there is standardised age brands.
You can use plastics but then you're not resolving the issue, just prolonging it because once that plastic is undesirable... It will be bad waste again.

[Allybeboba]

The irony is that these people aiming for these new regulations against plastics were the same people from decades ago that were proactively calling for plastics to be used over paper products because there would be no rain forests left. Same tactics were used, working up a hyperbolic scare and fine those non-compliant to try to force a social change. Not saying the new regulations are right or wrong, just food for thought.

I'm still reading through the report (it's 120 pages long, about halfway through), but I can already see some warning signs that liberties and assumptions were taken when coming up with some of these 'facts' and using evasive/deceptive terminology when it comes to describing methodologies and how they came up with numbers. I can't list them all because this post would run forever and would likely require the reader to have expertise/knowledge in several science fields, but here's the link to the report: https://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation...nomy_Pages.pdf

Wow! Look at the list of people on that advisory panel!

Happy Memorial Day

[Ishayu]

The irony is that these people aiming for these new regulations against plastics were the same people from decades ago that were proactively calling for plastics to be used over paper products because there would be no rain forests left. Same tactics were used, working up a hyperbolic scare and fine those non-compliant to try to force a social change. Not saying the new regulations are right or wrong, just food for thought.

I'm still reading through the report (it's 120 pages long, about halfway through), but I can already see some warning signs that liberties and assumptions were taken when coming up with some of these 'facts' and using evasive/deceptive terminology when it comes to describing methodologies and how they came up with numbers. I can't list them all because this post would run forever and would likely require the reader to have expertise/knowledge in several science fields, but here's the link to the report: https://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation...nomy_Pages.pdf

Exactly right.

I do actually think that reducing plastic waste is a very good thing, but the fact that we went to it in the first place out of concern for the rain forests, when the rain forests weren't being cut down to make these things in the first place, just makes the whole thing look silly.