The long-awaited guideline to the Directive on the reduction of the environmental impact of certain plastic products was recently published.
The Official Journal of the European Union published on July 7, 2021, a notice on Commission Guideline regarding the single-use plastic products in accordance with the Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council (EU) 2019/904 on the reduction of the impact of certain plastic products on the environment (hereinafter referred to as „document“ or „guideline“).
The document should clarify to the manufacturers and distributors the individual articles of the Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council (EU) 2019/904 of June 5, 2021, on reduction of impact of certain plastic products to the environment (hereinafter referred to as “SUP Directive”), and provide guidance and examples to the single-use plastic products regarding their identification, whether or not they fall within the scope of the SUP Directive, and which of them will be banned or which will not be covered by the marketing ban, description and distinguishing between certain categories of products, and definition of criteria and specific exemptions.
The published document explains what to understand under the term “plastic” or “single-use plastic product”, it defines the specific criteria regarding the products as food containers, packets and wrappers, cutlery, plates, straws and stirrers, beverage containers, beverage bottles and cups for beverages (including their cups and lids) and others defined by the SUP Directive. Moreover, the Guideline contains also illustrative examples in the form of figures and tables which should simplify the assessment of the given products, e.g. distinguishing between the food containers and plastic plates, or single-use plastic food containers and packets or wrappers.
Link to the published Guideline:
https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:52021XC0607(03)
July 8, 2021
