Ban on plastic products and a lawsuit against Danone

Despite growing awareness of the global plastic pollution crisis, the demand for plastics continues to grow. More than 6.3 billion t of plastic has been created since 1950, and each year people produce 400 million t of plastic waste. According to the OECD, the global amount of plastic waste is expected to almost triple by 2060, with around half of the waste going to landfills and less than ⅕ of it being recycled. 

Approximately 1.1 billion disposable plastic plates and 4.25 billion pieces of cutlery are used in England each year, of which only 10% are recycled after use. One plastic fork can decompose in the environment for up to 200 years. As a result, by the end of this year, the UK government intends to ban plastic cutlery, plates and trays in England – the very products that litter the world’s oceans the most. Similar legislation has already been introduced in Scotland and Wales. The United Arab Emirates, on the other hand, has announced a ban on the use  (production, import and marketing) of single-use plastic shopping bags, which will come into force at the beginning of 2024. From 1 January 2026, a similar law is to apply to plastic cups, plates and cutlery. 

Environmental organisations sued yoghurt and bottled water producer – Danone S.A. The reason for the lawsuit is insufficient to reduce the plastic footprint according to the Act of 2017. According to the organisation ClientEarth, Danone consumes more than 74 times more plastic per year than the weight of the Eiffel Tower.