Which single-use plastic products may no longer be sold in future?

In future, cotton buds, cutlery, plates, drinking straws, stirrers and balloon sticks made of plastic as well as to-go drinks cups, fast food packaging and disposable food containers made of expanded polystyrene (known as polystyrene) will no longer be permitted.

The regulation bans conventional single-use plastic products that are made from fossil raw materials such as crude oil. If they end up in the environment and not in the yellow bin, they will remain there for many decades - just like single-use plastic bags. Disposable plates or cups made from bio-based or biodegradable plastics are also banned.

The Bundestag and Bundesrat have approved the ordinance. It entered into force on 3 July 2021.

Why is single-use plastic packaging being banned? What's so bad about it?

More and more people are consuming food away from home or having it delivered. A coffee to go, a schnitzel or Asian noodles in a polystyrene box - drunk, eaten, packaging thrown away. This is convenient, but we are creating more and more waste.

Packaging waste often ends up in the park, on the embankment or on the beach. It has to be collected from there. If this is not done, the plastic waste will eventually crumble. But even smaller plastic particles do not disappear into thin air. They are blown away by the wind, washed into rivers and lakes by the rain, picked up by birds or swallowed by fish. With our single-use packaging, we are harming our environment, animals and ultimately our own health.

How much disposable packaging is thrown away every day in Germany?

Around 320,000 disposable cups are used every hour in Germany alone - up to 140,000 of which are to-go cups, according to the Federal Ministry for the Environment. The waste balance of disposable tableware and to-go packaging amounted to more than 346,000 tonnes in 2017, according to a survey by the Society for Packaging Market Research. According to the Federal Environment Agency, the total amount of plastic waste increased by 3.9 per cent to 6.15 million tonnes between 2015 and 2017. This was the highest level to date. The proportion of reusable packaging has been falling for years, particularly in the case of drinks packaging. However, many companies have now switched to the production of reusable products as a result of the EU-wide ban on single-use plastics.

Does the ban only apply in Germany? What else is the German government doing to combat plastic waste?

Single-use plastic products are not only banned in Germany. Since 3 July 2021, the production of single-use plastics is no longer permitted throughout the EU. The German government is committed to avoiding waste and using resources more efficiently. Recycling rates have increased significantly since the Packaging Act came into force at the beginning of 2019. Manufacturers are rewarded for using recyclable packaging and plastics. The first amendment to the Packaging Act will also prohibit retailers from offering lightweight plastic bags.

In order to utilise resources more efficiently, the destruction of functional goods should also be prohibited in future. Disposable and reusable bottles must be better labelled to make it easier for consumers to avoid unnecessary plastic and buy recyclable products. Both regulations are part of the new law implementing the EU Waste Framework Directive.

What is Germany doing to stop the illegal disposal of plastic waste in other countries?

European plastic waste must not end up in other countries, in the environment or in the sea. At the level of the Basel Convention, Germany has negotiated stricter regulations within the EU with regard to the shipment of plastic waste. As part of the transposition into European law, the EU Commission intends to propose a ban on the export of non-hazardous - but not freely tradable - plastic waste to developing countries. This is supported by the German government. Packaging waste from private consumers is almost completely recycled throughout Europe via take-back systems such as the Green Dot. Since the Packaging Act came into force, all those responsible for products have been registered in a comprehensive packaging register in order to facilitate the monitoring of export routes.

What can I do myself to avoid plastic waste?

Many supermarkets sell products without packaging. Particularly environmentally friendly products are labelled with the "Blue Angel" eco-label. In addition, you can already buy your daily coffee to go in a deposit cup in many cities. The waste prevention programme of the federal and state governments also promotes ideas and projects on how to avoid waste. With waste counselling or second-hand department stores, local authorities in particular have managed to get companies, institutions and citizens more involved in waste prevention.