571 MEPs voted in favour, 53 voted against and 34 abstained. The reason for the ban is that plastic products make up the majority of the waste found on European beaches. The ban on the sale of single-use plastic products is due to take place as early as 2021.

Which products are to be banned?

The ban is to cover products that account for 70% of all pollution in oceans, seas, lakes, rivers and beaches, among them:

• plastic food dishes,
• plastic cups,
• cotton ear buds,
• plastic bottles,
• plastic cutlery, plates and straws,
• balloons,
• wet wipes and sanitary towels,
• plastic bags,
• tobacco filters,
• other plastic packaging.

The implementation of the directive will already be in the hands of national authorities. It is up to them to decide what concrete measures to take in order to achieve the objectives set by the European Parliament. They may propose, for example, the introduction of deposits or bans. So not necessarily all of the above products may be banned (a ban on some products may be onerous, especially when it comes to the hygiene products mentioned).

The EP also decided , that the consumption of plastic products with no alternative is to be reduced by 25% by 2025.

According to data cited by the EP, around 150,000 tonnes of plastic end up in European waters every year.