Most of the member states of the European Union are surrounded by the ocean, and plastic easily enters the ocean. More than 80% of the Marine garbage is made of plastic. The control of Marine plastic pollution, also smoothly started from the top 10 disposable plastic products found on the beach.They chose to avoid biodegradable plastics, which are harder to break down in seawater.
These single-use products are prohibited from containing plastics: Thin plastic bags, individual/family wipes, tableware (fork, knife, spoon, chopsticks, lunch boxes, drink cup/cover/stir bar/straws, balloon/rods, within 3 liters bottles/cover (water/juice/milk), packaging/paper, cigarette filter, plastic foam products, sauces or ready-to-eat food packaging (e.g., fruit salad), instant beverage packaging, personal use disposable cotton swabs.
The logic behind the European Commission's new ban is: all natural, carbon neutral, reduce or recycle plastic, avoid microplastics and Marine pollution.
The EU is more focused on developing a circular economy (recycling and reuse) and bio-based sources (reducing carbon emissions). The EU's focus on recycling and plastic reduction looks like a dimensionless blow to China's efforts to develop biodegradable/compostable plastics.