EU greens packaging by banning single-use plastic containers in restaurants

All packaging in the European Union must be recyclable from 2030.

The EU agreed on Monday March 4 to green its packaging, with a ban on single-use plastic containers in its cafes and restaurants by 2030. Paper and cardboard containers will remain authorized.

After tough negotiations, MEPs and Member States agreed on this key text of the “Green Deal” which sets a target of reducing the total volume of waste by 5% by 2030 (compared to 2018). packaging in the EU, then 10% in 2035 and 15% by 2040.

Above all, all packaging in the EU must be recyclable from 2030 and actually recycled “on scale” by 2035, in order to encourage the development of a circular economy, according to a parliamentary press release.

A final confirmation before the agreement comes into force

Other single-use plastic containers are also banned at the same time: miniature shampoo bottles in hotels, small sauce pods, protective films surrounding suitcases in airports, plastic packaging for unprocessed fruits and vegetables, etc. Likewise, ultra-light plastic bags will have to disappear, with a few exceptions.

This agreement must now be formally confirmed by the Twenty-Seven and the European Parliament in plenary before entering into force.

Restriction of “eternal pollutants”

Considering that recycling is not enough, legislation sets binding levels of reuse (reuse or refill possible) of packaging for various sectors (e-commerce, household appliances, drinks, beer, etc.) by 2030. The wine sector in is exempt, like micro-enterprises.

Above all, exemptions have been made for States which both exceed their recycling objectives by at least 5 percentage points and are considered “on track to achieve their waste prevention targets”according to a press release from the Council of the EU.

Finally, the legislation prohibits from 2026 the intentional addition in food packaging of omnipresent polyfluoroalkyls (PFAS, “eternal pollutants”), for example in pizza boxes, despite warnings from scientists about their effects.