On 12 February 2019, the European Union forwarded to the WTO a draft Directive aimed at reducing the environmental impact of certain products containing plastic. In particular, it provides for a ban on single-use plastics if alternatives are readily available and mandatory marking for other products, such as wipes, including those for cosmetic purposes.
Notification Date
12 February 2019
Products covered
Single use plastic products, fishing gear and products made from oxo-degradable plastic
Title of the notified document
Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on the reduction of the impact of certain plastic products on the environment
Content
This proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council addresses certain plastic products to prevent and reduce their impact on the environment, in particular the aquatic environment, and on human health. Where alternatives are easily available and affordable, single-use plastic products will be banned from being placed on the Union market. For other products, the focus is on prevention measures, such as consumption reduction, marking requirements and product design requirements.
Objective
Prevention and reduction of the impact on the environment, in particular the aquatic environment, and human health
Overview of the text of the future Directive
Whereas
1. The high functionality and relatively low cost of plastic means that this material is increasingly ubiquitous in everyday life. While plastic plays a useful role in the economy and provides essential applications in many sectors, its growing use in short-lived applications, which are not designed for re-use or …
