British tourists travelling to European cities will have to be extra cautious as the European Parliament has introduced some new rules for a sustainable environment.
On Wednesday, the European Parliament gave the green light to new measures that are aimed at not only making packaging more sustainable from an environmental point of view but also reducing packaging waste, reports Olive Press.
However, the regulations must still gain approval from the Council of the European Union, which speaks for member nations like Spain.
According to the European Parliament, every EU citizen produces around 190 kilograms of packaging waste annually.
The new regulations set goals for reducing packaging waste within the bloc: 5 percent by 2030, 10 percent by 2035, and 15 percent by 2040.
However, once they take effect, specific types of single-use packaging will be prohibited starting January 1, 2030.
These include packaging for fruits and vegetables, packaging for food and drinks served and consumed in cafes and restaurants, and very light plastic bags.
Packaging used for individual servings, like those for sugar, and condiments such as ketchup, and sauces, will also face a ban.
The legislation also addresses “forever chemicals,” which is extremely durable and does not fully break down, leading to their accumulation in both the environment and human bodies.
The approved regulations ensure that these chemicals—per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)—are not used above specified limits in packaging that comes into contact with food.
To cut down on packaging, grouped, transport, and e-commerce packaging will be limited to a maximum empty space ratio of 50 percent.
Manufacturers and importers will also be required to minimise the weight and volume of packaging.
Moreover, beverage and take-out food vendors will need to offer customers the option to bring their own containers for their purchases.
By 2030, they will also need to provide 10 percent of their products in reusable packaging formats.
Rapporteur Frédérique Ries said: “For the first time in an environmental law, the EU is setting targets to reduce packaging, regardless of the material used.
“The ban on forever chemicals in food packaging is a great victory for the health of European consumers.
“We now call on all industrial sectors, EU countries and consumers to play their part in the fight against excess packaging.”
According to European Parliament figures, packaging is an ever-increasing source of waste. The total generated in the EU has increased from 66 million tonnes in 2009 to 84 million tonnes in 2021.
Each European generated 188.7 kg of packaging waste in 2021, a figure that the European Parliament expects will shoot up to 209 kg in 2030 if no additional measures are taken.
