Brussels: EU countries and the European Parliament on Wednesday agreed details of a ban on single-use plastics, including plates, cutlery and drinking straws, in a bid to cut marine pollution. The new rules, which still need final approval before becoming law, target the top 10 items most frequently found littering European beaches.
Plastic cotton bud sticks and expanded polystyrene food containers are also barred, as the EU tries to cut back on products that account for huge quantities of waste in the world’s oceans. The European Commission has said single-use plastics account for some 70% of the waste in the oceans and beaches. AFP
