Plastics
Tackling plastic waste is crucial in order for the EU to reduce pollution and protect the environment and human health. EU measures aim to develop a circular plastics economy.
Why reducing plastic pollution is vital
Plastics play an important role in our economy, industries and daily lives. Plastic materials are used across economic sectors and in all sorts of products and goods.
However, plastic is generally not biodegradable. It can take up to 500 years for a piece of plastic to decompose. Littered plastic items often break up into microplastics, which are hard to remove from nature and risk ending up in our food chain through water or animals.
Reducing the amount of plastics and microplastics dispersed in nature and ensuring the reduction and correct management of plastic waste is therefore vital to protect the environment and people’s health.
Dealing with plastics in a sustainable way is essential for Europe’s transition towards a carbon-neutral and circular economy.
EU goals to tackle plastics
European strategy for plastics
In 2018, the European Commission adopted a European strategy for plastics in a circular economy, to promote the reuse and recycling of plastics and plastic products.
The strategy laid the foundations for reducing plastic pollution and contributing to the achievement of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals and the implementation of the Paris Agreement.
Circular economy action plan
The objectives of the plastics strategy were developed further in the circular economy action plan presented by the Commission in 2020. The plan included waste reduction measures for products such as packaging, and mandatory requirements for recycled content.
Zero pollution action plan
In May 2021, the Commission presented a zero pollution action plan for air, water and soil. The main aim of the plan is for pollution prevention to be included in all relevant EU policies, speeding up the reduction of plastics and other pollutants in nature.
Reducing the amount of plastic on land and at sea are two of the targets for 2050 presented in the action plan.
Global treaty on plastics
The EU supports a global agreement on plastics within an international framework. The goal of the agreement would be to reduce plastic pollution and support a shift towards a circular economy globally.
Negotiations to conclude such an agreement started in 2022 but so far no agreement has been reached.
EU legislation on plastics
Ban on single-use plastic products
In May 2019, the Council adopted a directive to reduce plastic waste. The directive introduced new rules on certain single-use plastic products.
The rules include a ban on the use of specific throwaway plastics products for which there are alternatives. The directive also introduced special measures to reduce use of the most frequently littered plastic products. Under the new rules the following single-use plastic products have been banned since 2021:
- plates
- cutlery
- straws
- cotton buds
- products made from oxo-degradable plastic
- food and beverage containers made of expanded polystyrene
Member states also agreed that plastic bottles should be made of at least 25% recycled material by 2025 and 30% by 2030.
Enhanced plastic packaging reuse and recycling
In December 2024, the Council adopted a new regulation on packaging and packaging waste.
The new rules include restrictions on single-use plastics packaging of certain pre-packed and individual portions of food, and on single-use products in the hospitality sector.
Packaging
Preventing release of plastic pellets
Plastic pellets are one of the biggest sources of unintentional microplastic pollution. Thousands of tonnes of pellets are released into the environment every year due to mishandling in the supply chain.
Pellets released into nature are ingested by animals and can cause great harm to both wildlife and humans.
The EU is working on new rules to improve the handling of plastic pellets at all stages of the supply chain and reduce unintentional releases into the environment. This could reduce plastic pellet losses to the environment by up to 74%.
EU environment ministers agreed their position on the new regulation in December 2024. The Council and the European Parliament reached an agreement on the rules in April 2025. The provisional deal has to be adopted by both institutions before it becomes EU law.
Regulating waste trade
Millions of tonnes of waste are generated in Europe every year.
Plastics make up a substantial amount of the waste we generate and plastics waste is both imported and exported by the EU.
In 2024, the EU updated its rules in order to better regulate waste trade within the EU and with non-EU countries, in line with the European Green Deal and the circular economy action plan.
New, stricter rules were also introduced on the export of plastic waste to non-EU countries.
Waste trade
Last review: 9 April 2025