No more single-use plastic straws, cotton buds and food containers for Germany. Starting next summer, the European country will end the sale of plastics including disposable cutlery, plates, stirring sticks and balloon holders, as well as polystyrene cups and boxes.
The ban will mean the country falls in line with a European Union directive intended to reduce the amount of plastic garbage that pollutes the environment.
Environment Minister Svenja Schulze said the move was part of an effort to move away from “throw-away culture.” Up to 20 percent of garbage collected in parks and other public places consists of single-use plastic, mainly polystyrene containers, which can take decades to degrade and eventually make their way into our oceans.
This certainly is a welcome move by Germany, and hopefully, more nations around the world will follow suit and work collectively to ensure a cleaner and safer future for our planet.
