| Markets | European Union |
| Organization | European Commission |
| Topic | Contaminants Residues and contact materials |
According to the Directive (EU) 2019/904 on single-use plastics, by 3 July 2021 Member States have to ensure that certain single-use plastic products are no longer placed on the EU market. Those are selected products for which affordable plastic-free alternatives exist on the market: cotton bud sticks, cutlery, plates, straws, stirrers, balloons sticks, as well as some products made of expanded polystyrene (cups and food and beverage containers) and all products made of oxo-degradable plastic. For other plastic products, such as fishing gear, single use plastic bags, bottles, beverage and food containers for immediate consumption, packets and wrappers, tobacco filters, sanitary items and wet wipes, different measures apply. These include limiting their use, reducing their consumption and preventing littering through labelling requirements, extended producer responsibility schemes (“polluter pays principle”), awareness campaigns and product design requirements. This document provides guidance on the interpretation and implementation of the Directive (EU) 2019/904, including explanation of the key definitions, and aims to ensure that the new rules are applied correctly and uniformly across the EU.