Single-Use Plastics Directive

The Single-Use Plastics Directive (SUPD) is a broad piece of legislation, originally passed by the EU in 2019, with a goal of promoting transition to a circular economy and in particular to tackle marine litter and plastic waste. The SUPD is one of the elements of the EU’s Plastics Strategy, launched by the European Commission in 2018, with a goal to transform the way plastic products are designed, produced, used and recycled. The EU Plastics Strategy outlined the need for a legislative proposal on single-use plastics, to target reductions in plastic leakage to reduce its impact on the environment and on human health. The European Union focused on the 10 most commonly found plastic items littered in European coastal areas. After evaluating the potential pathways towards reduction, the EU passed in 2019 what has become known as the Single-Use Plastics Directive (SUPD), a holistic effort to “turn off the tap” of plastic pollution from land to sea. 

Read the full Directive HERE