On July 3, 2021, the time has come: The new EU law, which is intended to significantly reduce the use of plastic packaging, will come into force. This will have an impact on consumption in all member states and, due to the close trade relations, also on Switzerland. Why the new law is important and what will change - find out more here.
To promote sustainable packaging options and protect the environment, the EU has passed a law banning certain types of packaging. From July, the following items will be banned:
- To-go food packaging made of so-called EPS - the abbreviation stands for "expanded polystyrene", more commonly known as Styrofoam.
- Disposable plates and other tableware - even if they appear to be paper plates at first glance, these items are a particular challenge from a recycling perspective. A wafer-thin plastic film prevents soaking and makes reuse difficult.
- Plastic cutlery and plastic drinking straws and other plastic beverage accessories
We produce a lot of waste
It is obvious that certain products need packaging - drinks, for example. But why do you find portion-wrapped vegetables in the shops? Packaging helps to keep products fresh longer and reduce food waste. But we often forget that many products are already packaged very efficiently by Mother Nature: in their own trays.
Another trend feeding the packaging glut is online retailing. Especially during the pandemic, more people ordered everyday items over the internet: tiny orders in a huge cardboard box, lavishly filled with Styrofoam. This is now to be put to an end in this form. And that's a good thing - because in Switzerland, each individual produced 715 kilograms of waste in 2016!
Think twice about packaging
With the new law, the EU wants to oblige manufacturers to be more sustainable. But consumers are also supposed to follow suit. Anyone who automatically reaches for packaged products when shopping is promoting the harmful side of the packaging industry. Even those who think that collecting and separating packaging is enough are wrong. It is not uncommon for the waste to end up in an emerging country and be recycled in a less than sustainable manner or even left there. Therefore, it is more effective to start where one's own waste is generated - at the point of purchase:
- Buy more unpackaged food, for example at the weekly market, or take your own packaging.
- Have a small thermos with you instead of Coffee2Go.
- Take cloth bags with you and wave goodbye to plastic or paper bags in the department stores'.
- Drink tap water or use a fizzer - after all, the cartridges go into the recycling.
- If you're going to pack, then glass containers are better than plastic. Glass can be excellently recycled, and reusable bottles are an optimal solution for drinks.
Proper disposal remains important
Only a few consumers succeed in completely avoiding packaging waste through a consistent lifestyle. That is understandable. That's why disposing of waste properly is an important contribution to environmental protection. Thanks to online services such as abfall.ch, households can compile their own "waste calendar" based on their postcode and send it electronically to their mobile phone or print it out as an ICS file. Textiles, hazardous waste and organic waste? All collection data at a glance and according to your needs. With such a practical waste calendar, you can easily contribute to recycling.
