European parliament approves single-use plastics banOctober 25, 2018 - 18:01 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - The European Parliament has overwhelmingly backed a wide-ranging ban on single-use plastics in an effort to tackle pollution in seas, fields and waterways, The Guardian reports. Under the proposed directive, items such as plastic straws, cotton swabs, disposable plastic plates and cutlery would be banned by 2021, and 90% of plastic bottle recycled by 2025. Described by the European commission as a clampdown on “the top 10 plastic products that most often end up in the ocean”, the proposed legislation passed 571 votes to 53. Labour MEPs said the EU plan must be respected by the UK after Brexit. Seb Dance, the party’s environment spokesman in the European parliament, said: “These new measures will slash the use of single-use plastics in the EU. With more than 700,000 plastic bottles littered in the UK every day, it would be negligent if the UK does not maintain these new targets if we leave the EU. Sign up to the Green Light email to get the planet's most important stories Read more “Unless the UK mirrors EU action on plastics after Brexit, the Tories risk turning the UK into a dumping ground for cheap, non-recyclable plastics.” Much plastic waste is washed into the ocean, where it may take centuries to fully degrade. Lightweight single-use items are among the most problematic of plastics because they can easily travel long distances, absorbing toxins along the way that damage marine flora and fauna. The proposed legislation catapults the EU into a leadership position in tackling the growing plastic pollution crisis. EU states still have to back the directive before it becomes law, but commission sources said they were optimistic that action would continue to move quickly. “We hope to have a vote in the European council in November,” one told the Guardian. “If all goes well, we could have it in law by the end of the year.” The UK is yet to bring forward primary legislation addressing the plastics issue despite publication of more than 20 consultations on the matter since the general election last year. In February, the environment secretary, Michael Gove, became embroiled in a Twitter spat with the European commission’s first vice-president, Frans Timmerans, in which he denied that the EU was one step ahead of the UK in tackling the problem. Similar measures regarding single-use plastics are expected to be announced by the chancellor, Philip Hammond, the budget on Monday. Top stories Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". The earthquake caused a temporary blackout, damaged many buildings and closed a number of rural roads. Partner news | Armenian, Saudi Foreign Minister meet in Riyadh The two commended the positive dynamics of the development of political dialogue between Armenia and Saudi Arabia Pashinyan: Azerbaijan’s proximity shouldn’t worry border residents At the same time, he said that he “does not guarantee [the security of villagers] one hundred percent”. U.S. doesn’t see Russia as contributing to peace in Caucasus Patel made the remarks when asked about the implications of Russia’s withdrawal of peacekeepers from Karabakh. Up to 1% cashback when shopping on Wildberries with IDBank cards IDBank is launching an exclusive campaign on Wildberries for online shopping enthusiasts. |