From July 3,2021,The European ”Plastic Limite Order” is officially implemented! 

On October 24, 2018, the European Parliament passed a wide-ranging proposal banning of the use of single-use plastic products with an overwhelming number of votes in Strasbourg, France. In 2021, the EU will ban the use of disposable plastic products with alternatives, such as plastic straws, disposable earplugs, dinner plates, etc. From the effective date of the ban, all EU member states should pass domestically within two years. Regulations ensure that the above ban is implemented in the country. European media called it “the most restrictive plastic order in history.” The biodegradable packing tape will be a good choice for packing.

The origin of the “plastic limit order”

In the past 50 years, global plastic production and consumption have increased by more than 20 times, from 15 million tons in 1964 to 311 million tons in 2014, and it is estimated that it will double again in the next 20 years.

Europe produces about 25.8 million tons of plastic waste every year, only less than 30% of the plastic waste will be recycled, and the remaining plastic waste is accumulating in our living environment more and more.

The impact of plastic waste on the European ecological environment, especially disposable items (such as bags, straws, coffee cups, beverage bottles and most food packaging) is gradually increasing. In 2015, 59% of EU plastic waste sources came from packaging (as shown in the figure below ↓).

Before 2015, EU member states used more than 100 billion plastic bags each year, of which 8 billion discarded plastic bags were thrown into the sea.

According to EU estimates, by 2030, the damage caused by plastic waste to the European environment can reach 22 billion euros. The EU has to adopt legal means to control the environmental pollution of plastic products.

As early as 2018, the European Union has issued a “plastic ban” proposal, and it has been revised in the following years. It finally stated that from July 3, 2021, the production, purchase and import and export of all optional cardboard and other alternative materials will be completely banned. The disposable plastic products produced include plastic tableware, straws, balloon rods, cotton swabs, and even bags and outer packaging made of decomposable plastic.

After the implementation of the ban, plastic straws, tableware, cotton swabs, dishes, stirrers and balloon sticks, and polystyrene food packaging bags have all been blacklisted. In addition, all kinds of oxidatively degradable plastic bags are also forbidden to use. Such products were previously considered to be degradable in marketing, but facts have proved that the microplastic particles produced by the decomposition of such plastic bags will remain in the environment for a long time.

Fiber products, bamboo products and other biodegradable materials have become substitutes for disposable plastic products. For some time, there has been a large amount of plastic waste on the coasts of many countries in the European Union. Data show that 85% of EU coastal areas have at least 20 plastic wastes per 100 meters of coastline. The ban issued by the EU also requires plastic products companies to pay for clean environment and environmental protection promotion work, and the EU’s goal is to realize all plastic products can be recycled and recycled by 2030.

 Introduction of Biodegradable packing tape:

Biodegradable packing tape

Features of this biodegradable packing tape:

• Temperature resistance up to 220℃, low noise
• Easy to tear, strong tensile strength
• Anti-static, strong extensibility, good air permeability
• Writable, biodegradable, recyclable

Sellers who export products to EU countries should pay attention to the following points:

1. Due to the European ban on plastics, the following single-use plastic products may not be cleared from July 3, 2021:

• Cotton swabs, tableware (forks, knives, spoons, chopsticks), dishes, straws, beverage stirring sticks.
• A stick used to connect and support balloons, except for industrial or other professional balloons that are not distributed to consumers.
• Food containers made of expanded polystyrene, that is, boxes and other containers, including those with and without lids.
• Beverage containers and beverage cups made of expanded polystyrene (commonly known as “styrofoam”), including lids.

2. In addition to prohibiting the sale of the “disposable plastic products” listed above, the EU Plastic Restriction Order also requires member states to formulate relevant laws and regulations to reduce the use of the following “disposable plastic products”: Drink cups (including lids); food containers, namely boxes and other containers, including lids and without lids.

3. In addition, sellers of “disposable plastic products” sold on the market should have a unified EU label, and clearly point out the following to consumers: the waste disposal method that matches the product waste level; prompts the presence of plastic in the product, and random Disposal may have negative effects on the environment. Products that need to be uniformly labeled and corresponding labels

What impact will the plastic restriction order have on sellers?

The restriction is mainly aimed at manufacturers and distributors of disposable plastic products, retailers of disposable plastic products, catering (takeaway and delivery), fishing gear manufacturers, manufacturers and distributors of oxidatively degradable plastics, and plastic wholesalers.

Sellers should also pay attention to the fact that goods sent to the 27 EU countries do not contain disposable plastic products. For goods sent to Europe, sellers try not to use disposable plastic bags to package goods, and use biodegradable and recyclable packaging as much as possible.