Hotels will be BANNED from supplying miniature shampoo and shower gels across the EU in bid to reduce plastic waste
- The European Commission will ban the use of the miniature bottles across the EU
- The new legislation is in an effort to limit rising plastic waste across Europe
- Reusable and less excessive packaging options will be introduced instead
The days of hotels providing their guests with miniature shampoo bottles, body lotions and shower gel are well and truly over.
The European Commission is slapping a ban on their use as part of new EU-wide rules on packaging and waste.
On average, each European generates almost 180kg of packaging waste per year.
‘Packaging is one of the main users of virgin materials as 40 per cent of plastics and 50 per cent of paper used in the EU is destined for packaging,’ says the Commission.
The European Commission is slapping a ban on the use of miniature shampoo bottles as part of new EU-wide rules on packaging and waste (file image)
‘Without action, the EU would see a further 19 per cent increase in packaging waste by 2030, and for plastic packaging waste even a 46 per cent increase.
‘The new rules aim to stop this trend. For consumers, they will ensure reusable packaging options, get rid of unnecessary packaging, limit overpackaging, and provide clear labels to support correct recycling.
‘For the industry, they will create new business opportunities, especially for smaller companies, decrease the need for virgin materials, boosting Europe’s recycling capacity as well as making Europe less dependent on primary resources and external suppliers. They will put the packaging sector on track for climate neutrality by 2050.
‘The Commission also brings clarity to consumers and industry on biobased, compostable and biodegradable plastics: setting out for which applications such plastics are truly environmentally beneficial and how they should be designed, disposed of and recycled.
‘The proposals are key building blocks of the European Green Deal’s Circular Economy Action Plan and its objective to make sustainable products the norm. They also respond to specific demands of Europeans as expressed at the Conference on the Future of Europe.’
‘Packaging is one of the main users of virgin materials as 40 per cent of plastics and 50 per cent of paper used in the EU is destined for packaging,’ says the Commission (file image)
The aim is to make all packaging recyclable by 2030.
To foster reuse or refill of packaging, which has declined steeply in the last 20 years, companies will have to offer a certain percentage of their products to consumers in reusable or refillable packaging, for example takeaway drinks and meals or e-commerce deliveries. There will also be some standardisation of packaging formats and clear labelling of reusable packaging.
To address clearly unnecessary packaging, certain forms of packaging will be banned, for example single-use packaging for food and beverages when consumed inside restaurants and cafes, single-use packaging for fruits and vegetables, miniature shampoo bottles and other miniature packaging in hotels.
The proposal on packaging and packaging waste will now be considered by the European Parliament and the Council, in the ordinary legislative procedure.
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