The former president of the government Mariano Rajoy questioned the regulatory excesses of the European Union which led to Caps should be attached to plastic bottles.thus featuring the anecdote of the debate in the La Toja Forum on the Atlantic Link 2024.
At one point in the debate he ridiculed the European Union for its excessive regulation with an anecdote heard, with a smile, by the former head of government Felipe González and the elected president of the European Council, the Portuguese Antonio Costa.
Rajoy and plastic caps
The “stick” rule or attach the cap to the plastic bottle It has been the subject of many comments, criticisms and some obstacles, considering it a nuisance when consuming the bottled liquid.
The former leader of the PP gave as an example the strict European regulations of this systemcommenting that “a month ago, I was with one of these bottles”, indicated the former leader of the Popular Party at one point during the intervention, raising a plastic water bottle and showing the cork.
At that time, he ironically stated that “there was no way to remove this.” “I started drinking, I became a circus and I say, but hey,” Rajoy joked.
Reduce environmental impact
The plenary session of European Parliament approved Directive (EU) 2019/904 of the European Parliament and of the Council on June 5, 2019 relating to “reducing the impact of certain plastic products on the environment”.
This approved rule decided that starting in 2021, the most popular disposable plastic items, such as plates, cutlery, straws, cotton swabs and polystyrene food containers, would be banned, with the aim of reduce its impact on the environment.
MEPs supported by 560 votes in favor, 35 against and 28 abstentions the political agreement reached with the Member States in December, a result which, curiously, was supported by the European People’s Partya group in which the training in which Rajoy is active is integrated.
Water pollution
These plastics, according to calculations by the European Union, represent almost 70 percent of the plastic waste that pollutes the waters and beaches of the community territory and the The objective of the measures is to eradicate the use of plastic objects for which there already exist alternatives in materials that do not harm the environment.
To the list proposed by the Community Executive, cotton swabs, plates and cutlery, glasses and straws, polystyrene containers for fast food were added at the request of the European Parliament.
Among the items that cannot be used in the European Union are also products made of oxodegradable plastic, considered particularly harmful to the environment because They contain additives that do not completely disappear and negatively affect the recycling process.
Beverage lids
In addition to the list of products that will be banned, the EU has approved that member states take “the necessary measures” to significantly reduce the consumption of other products, such as plastic containers, other polystyrene, for fast food which does not require preparation after purchase and lids for drinks.
Binding targets have also been set for Member States to take the necessary measures to ensure that by 2030 at least 30% of plastic bottle materials are recyclable.
The objective is reduce waste from these products by half with the aim of avoiding environmental damage that would result in costs of 230 billion euros in 2030 and the emission of 3.4 million equivalent tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO₂) in the same year.
Plastic caps and caps
The reason given by the EU is that plastic lids and caps used on plastic beverage containers are part of the single-use plastic items most commonly found on EU beaches.
Therefore, beverage containers that are single-use plastic products should be released to the market. whether they meet specific product design requirements which significantly reduce the dispersion of the plastic lids and caps of these containers into the environment.
United forever
In short, Member States had to ensure, according to the text, “that single-use plastic products with plastic lids and caps may only be placed on the market if the lids and caps remain attached to the container during the intended use phase of said product.
A rule that since July 3, 2024 it is mandatory that all single-use plastic containers be marketed with this attached closure system.
Spanish and European standards establish that Manufacturers are required to design products and components in order to reduce the impact on the environment.
