--- title: "The EU Approved a Ban on Single-Use Plastics" description: "The EU voted on Wednesday to support plans for the elimination of most uses of single-use plastic, including cutlery, straws, and plastic plates." date: "2019-03-29" modified: "2019-03-29" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/eu-vote-ban-single-use-plastics" categories: - "Environment" - "Science & Energy" tags: - "environment" - "eu" - "plastic" - "the digest" --- # The EU Approved a Ban on Single-Use Plastics ![The EU voted on Wednesday to support plans for the elimination of most uses of single-use plastic, including cutlery, straws, and plastic plates.]() *\Image: Pixabay/Victor Tangermann\* ## Complete Ban The European parliament [voted Wednesday]() to support plans for the elimination of most uses of single-use plastic, ranging from cutlery and straws to coffee stirrers and plastic plates. It's a significant step that could encourage other governments around the globe to also commit to reducing the amount of plastics that end up in landfills, waterways, and oceans — but it's not going to be instituted overnight. ## Plastic-less In October 2018, the EU voted on [the proposal]() that was overwhelmingly backed by the European Parliament. This week's vote could lead to EU member states implementing a ban by 2021. Also included are plans to improve the quality of tap water and reduce the use of plastic bottles. The proposal also would "tighten the maximum limits for certain pollutants such as lead (to be reduced by half), harmful bacteria, and introduce new caps for most polluting substances found in tap water," according to [a statement](). The new plans would also require plastic bottles to be made up of 25 percent recycled material by 2025. ## Last Straw We've reported previously about large cities [banning single-use plastic straws](), which pose a serious threat to marine life. Seattle [became the first major U.S. city]() to ban them in July 2018 to avoid dumping more plastic into our planet's oceans. But the entire EU backing a ban is a major move — and one that could push other areas around the world to follow suit. **READ MORE:** [Europe bans single-use plastics. And glitter could be next.]() \[*The Washington Post*\] **More on the plastic ban:** *[The EU Just Voted to Completely Ban Single-Use Plastics]()* ## Author I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()