updates

Single-use plastic products – Schedule of applications

In order to prevent and reduce the impact of certain plastic products on our aquatic environment and on human health, as well as the goal of Sustainable Development required by Agenda 2030, the EU has taken drastic measures through Directive (EU) 2019/904, of Law 4736/2020 and of the Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/2151. The aim of these provisions is to push consumers to replace plastics with more sustainable and non-toxic materials, which in the long run will lead to the achievement of the circular economy that the European Commission has envisioned since 2015.

Due to the increasing accumulation of single-use plastic objects off the coast of Europe, legislation is aimed primarily at limiting their spread to the environment. The applicable provisions start already from the summer of this year, having a time horizon until 2030.

Single-use plastic products

ARE

They are typically intended to be used just once or for a short period of time before being disposed of, such as:

  • fast food containers
  • sandwich meal packages, sandwiches wraps, salad boxes with hot or cold food
  • food containers of fresh fruit, vegetables and desserts 
  • beverage containers  (beverage bottles, beer, wine, water,  liquids, soft drinks, juices, nectar, milk, instant drinks), etc.

ARE NOT

They are designed and placed on the market to accomplish within their life span multiple trips or rotations by being refilled or re-used for the same purpose for which they are conceived, such as:

  • food containers with dried food
  • food containers with cold foods requiring further preparation
  • food containers containing food in more than single-serve portions
  • single-serve portion-sized food containers sold in more than one unit.

July 3, 2021

EU countries are banning the placing on the market of 10 single-use plastic products which are as follows:

  1. Cotton bud sticks with plastic parts
  2. Plastic cutlery (forks, knives, spoons, chopsticks)
  3. Plastic plates
  4. Plastic straws
  5. Beverage stirrers
  6. Sticks to be attached to and to support balloons, except balloons for industrial or other professional uses and applications that are not distributed to consumers, including the mechanisms of such sticks
  7. Expanded polystyrene food containers, (containers and lids for food intended for immediate consumption, without further preparation)˙
  8. Expanded polystyrene beverage containers, including their covers and lids
  9. Cups for beverages made of expanded polystyrene, including their covers and lids
  10. Products of oxo-degradable plastic (which decompose into microplastics)

Sanctions

For producers, the fine amounts to 1% of the total turnover of the last year for which an income tax return was submitted. For any other natural or legal person the fine reaches 1000€ if he is found to have in his possession up to 200 pieces and for each additional piece over 200 the fine is increased by 5€.

July 3, 2021

  • Sanitary towels (pads), tampons, tampon applicators
  • Wet wipes pre-wetted, for personal care and domestic wipes
  • Tobacco products with filters and filters marketed for use in combination with tobacco products
  • Cups for beverages

For the above plastic products and when their surface exceeds 10cm2, it becomes mandatory to have a visible, legible and indelible marking on the product packaging or on the product itself. This marking defines the way of products’ management or the way of avoiding the management of these products as waste.

The Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/2151 was created for the most complete guidance on how to write the information on the above plastic objects, the size, position, shape and shade of the markings.

Sanctions

The fines concern the producers of the above products who are charged with 1000€ for the identification of up to 200 pieces in which the marking is either incomplete or completely absent. For each additional piece over 200 the fine is increased by 5 €. For the detection of up to 500 pieces, whose marking is characterized as misleading, the fine amounts to 5000€. For each additional piece that will be identified, the fine is increased by 10€.

January 1, 2022

Consumers are beginning to pay a contribution to plastic food and beverage packaging, which are available when ready-to-eat products are sold by catering and retail businesses. The contribution amounts to 4 cents plus VAT and is imposed per piece of product with the peculiarity that the respective container and its cap are two distinct products and therefore the contribution is essentially doubled for each completed piece (container with cap).

Also, retail and catering businesses must serve consumers by using their own reusable products, as well as informing them about the possibility of selling food and beverages at a lower price if they are not packaged and the reusable container of the consumer is finally used.

Sanctions

For the aforementioned companies, the sale of products without the imposition of the levy incurs a fine of 500€ per delinquency and the non – return of the levy 1000€ per delinquency.

January 3, 2022

  • Containers with lids intended for immediate food packaging without further preparation (ready meals, fast food meals)
  • Packages and wrappers made of flexible material for immediate food
  • Beverage containers with a capacity of up to 3 liters
  • Cups for beverages
  • Balloons (not for industrial and professional use)

The above products require the clear, legible and indelible marking of consumer information regarding the possibility of their minimum reuse, recycling or composting (composting).

Sanctions

The fines for non-application of the measure follow the same logic as the fines of 3 July 2021 concerning the labeling requirements of certain plastic products.

July 1, 2022

Catering companies for the direct distribution to the consumer of food and beverages are prohibited from using beverage cups with their lids and containers with their lids, as food packaging to be consumed immediately and without any further processing. However, they are allowed to use alternative products whose specifications are legal under current legislation.

Sanctions

Non-compliance carries a fine of 500€ per violation.

July 3, 2024

Plastic beverage containers with a capacity of up to 3 liters, as well as composite plastic beverage packaging, should only be placed on the market if their covers and lids remain attached to them during the intended use phase of the product.

Sanctions

For producers, the fine amounts to 1% of the total turnover of the last year for which an income tax return was submitted. For any other natural or legal person the fine reaches 500€ if he is found to have in his possession up to 100 pieces and for each additional piece over 100 the fine is increased by 5€.

January 1, 2025

PET beverage bottles with a capacity of up to 3 liters, including their covers and lids, must contain at least 25% recycled plastic, calculated as the average for all PET bottles on the market.

January 1, 2030

PET beverage bottles with a capacity of up to 3 liters, including their covers and lids, must contain at least 35% recycled plastic, averaged over all PET bottles on the market.

Sanctions

For PET bottles the fine is the same for the measures that will be implemented in 2025 and 2030 and amounts to 1% on the specific turnover of the production processes of the specific products.

All the measures presented will be checked for their compliance with the current legislation by the Hellenic Recycling Organization (EOAN), the Independent Public Revenue Authority (A.A.D.E.), the Inter-Service Market Control Unit (DI.M.E.A.) as well as the Unified Food Control Agency (EFET).

*Article author: Stamatelou Vasiliki, Manager of Quality Assurance, Food Safety and Environment Departments

*Article Sources:
https://www.europarl.europa.eu/
https://www.e-nomothesia.gr/
https://eur-lex.europa.eu/