Single Use Plastics guidance published

The European Commission published the guidance for the harmonized implementation of the Single-Use Plastics Directive (SUPD). The long-awaited guidance aims to harmonize how individual Member States transpose the SUPD into national legislation, which has a deadline in July 2021.

As it was anticipated before with the consultant's reports, for an article to be considered plastic there is no minimal plastic content, but rather a functional criterion. While some products for which plastic-free acceptable alternative exists are banned, some products (wipes, sanitary napkins, cigarette filters) require a specific pictogram included in their packaging, and for other items other measures (such as consumption reduction, limitation of use, awareness requirements) apply.