How will the single-use plastic ban affect your business?
Because of the ban on single-use plastics, companies in the food, beverage and retail industries will look for opportunities to adopt alternatives. As a result, many professionals in the sector will have to ask themselves: what will this mean for my business?
The EU is taking action against plastic pollution. Some countries are focusing on effective recycling programmes, while others are imposing bans or charges to discourage the use of plastic altogether. Most notably, one of the key developments in the legal framework took place on 22 March 2022, when the Spanish Senate approved the bill for the Law on Waste and Contaminated Soils. Its aim is to promote a circular, low-carbon economy in Spain, in line with the Spanish Circular Economy Strategy (España Circular 2030). This involves two new taxes at the request of the European Commission: a levy on single-use plastic packaging and another on landfilling and incinerating waste.
These regulations reflect the concerns of hundreds of business owners and small businesses. Retailers that give customers lightweight plastic bags to take products home, as well as grocery shops, department stores, restaurants and convenience stores, are all affected by the single-use plastic ban. Owners of restaurants, bars, cafés or ice cream shops that use plastic cutlery such as spoons and/or straws need to find an alternative to plastic that not only fulfils its essential function but also helps improve the customer experience.
To navigate this period of change, it is a priority to understand where the bans are taking effect, why plastics are being banned and which products are included in these restrictions.
If plastic is recyclable, why are single-use plastic products banned?
Although plastics are recyclable, plastic bags are generally not accepted because they do not separate easily when placed in kerbside bins and can damage equipment at recycling facilities. Even when disposed of correctly, they can take up to 1,000 years to decompose. Bags, plates, cutlery, straws and other items made of this material are often disposed of improperly, polluting waterways, blocking drains and damaging the habitat of marine life.
Why should we eliminate single-use plastic bags?
One of the main problems is that plastic bags are not biodegradable: they break down into smaller pieces of plastic known as microplastics. When this happens, these tiny pieces can release toxic chemicals into our food and water systems, harming both human and animal health.
In the words of Catalan MEP Francesc Gambús: “If we do not change the way we produce and use plastics, by 2050 there will be more plastic than fish in the sea.”
That is why a new generation of start-ups and research projects is developing plastic alternatives to try to stop the wave of plastic pollution. It is no secret that more and more businesses are looking for eco-friendly alternatives to the items they use every day. One way to do this is to reduce the amount of disposable plastic utensils you use (and to encourage the food outlets you visit to do the same).
Which single-use plastics will be banned?
Since 3 July 2021, single-use plastic products may no longer be placed on the Spanish market, in accordance with DIRECTIVE (EU) 2019/904 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 5 June 2019. This means a ban on marketing, importing and exporting the following products:
- Single-use plastic cutlery (spoons, forks, knives and chopsticks)
- Single-use plastic plates
- Straws
- Plastic cotton buds
- Plastic balloon sticks
- Oxo-degradable plastics, and expanded polystyrene food containers and cups
The new single-use plastic ban requires changes in business operations. To meet this challenge, companies will need to weigh the benefits of eliminating this material and find a solution that suits their business model. Edible cutlery, biodegradable or disposable alternatives are among the options generating the most interest, but they are not the only ones. Once these solutions have been explored, the next step is to make a decision, one that will significantly benefit both environmental and social health.
In this post you can discover the best biodegradable alternatives to single-use plastic.