EU to impose fixed plastic bottle caps. June 29, 2024

The plastic caps on drinks bottles sold in the European Union will have to be attached to the container. File photo: Shutterstock

By AFP - Agence France Presse

EU to impose fixed plastic bottle caps.

From next Wednesday, the plastic caps of drink bottles sold in the European Union will have to be fixed to their containers, according to new rules aimed at curbing harmful pollution.

A variety of products, from bottles of water and soft drinks to cartons of milk and juice, will have to have a cap that stays attached to the container, as part of a 2019 EU directive that comes into force on July 3.

According to the directive, bottle caps and lids are "among the single-use plastic products most commonly found on beaches" in Europe.

Disposable plastic products can now only be sold "if they meet specific product design requirements that significantly reduce the dispersion into the environment of beverage container lids and caps made of plastic".

The rule is part of a wider effort to reduce the production of single-use plastics and has been passed into law in EU member states.

It also applies to the "composite packaging" lids, such as milk or juice cartons containing cardboard, plastic, or aluminum.

The regulation excludes lids on glass and metal containers, as well as containers used for "medical purposes".

France's best-selling bottled water brand, Cristaline, first introduced wired lids in 2016, calling itself a "pioneer".

"It prevents caps from being dispersed in nature and facilitates selective sorting and optimal recycling," the company wrote in a statement.

In 2021, the EU banned single-use plastic plates, cutlery, straws, and cotton buds. Companies were allowed to continue selling their stocks.

In March, the EU reached an agreement to ban single-use plastic packaging from 2030.

The agreement will also apply to packaging for fresh, unprocessed fruit and vegetables, individual portions of products such as condiments and sugar, as well as miniature personal care products and shrink-wrap for suitcases at airports.

The agreement was a step towards the EU's environmental goals under the Green Deal, a set of laws to help the bloc achieve its climate targets.

myl/im/abb/dch/ju/rlp/bc