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Germany to ban the sale of single-use plastic items

It’s always a pleasure to report on positive environmental progress.

Today, we see Germany take a step towards a cleaner future.

Germany bans single-use plastics
Photo: Shutterstock

Germany has just agreed to ban the selling of single-use plastics in an attempt to reduce waste and environmental pollution.

Plastic straws, cotton buds, food containers. They all seem harmless, but they’re some of the biggest contributors to ocean waste and overall unnecessary pollution. Well, the German Cabinet is putting their foot down. Following the code of the European Union Directive to ban single-use plastics in 2021, Germany will ban the sales of these items from the 3 July next year, onwards. The commendable decision was finalised just yesterday (June 24) and will include items such as cutlery, plates, polystyrene cups, and boxes. This move will not only protect sea-wildlife but also combat the fight against climate change.

Svenja Schulze, Germany’s environmental minister stated that the change will aid in moving away from “throwaway culture.” Forget about those polystyrene cups of coffee at work, this is the age of the keep-cup. Currently, 20% of rubbish that’s collected in public places such as parks consist of single-use plastic, so removing “throwaway culture” makes a lot of sense. And yes, birds, fish and other animals will be a lot safer with these plastics out of the picture. Not to mention they take decades to degrade. So yeah, congrats to Germany. No complaints here.

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