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EU to ban plastic plates, cups, and cutlery by 2021

fastcompany.com

31–40 of 192 posts

Re: EU to ban plastic plates, cups, and cutlery by 2021

#32

So what is the best replacement for fast food and takeaway purposes? Bamboo cutlery?

Why not: Fast food: metal cutlery at the restaurant that gets washed and reused. Take away: your own cutlery at home.

And what if you have motor control issues that makes it impossible to wash cutlery to any standard of cleanliness?

I've said it before, and I've said it again: these anti-plastic laws are actively hostile to people with disabilities.

Re: EU to ban plastic plates, cups, and cutlery by 2021

#33
post #5

The western world is responsible for 1,25 % of all ocean plastic pollution. Europe is only 0,28 %![0] There is no need to ban single-use plastics in the West. It's just virtue signaling and the so-called 'solutions' lower our comfort, will cause a rise in food poisoning deaths and are worse for the environment.[1] When you mention this, people reply we should set an example and other countries will follow. The idea t…

What you call virtue signaling other people call a form of morality. Just because not everyone is doing something doesn't mean that it's not the right thing to do. And even though it doesn't guarantee other countries will follow suit, it's disingenuous to suggest it doesn't make ANY difference. It helps normalize these policies in the global mindspace. Plastic pollution is death by a million cuts. Even though any specific action might be negligible, if we continue piece by piece to remove plastics and encourage investigation and investment into alternatives we can slowly make progress. There are also compounding benefits, if we discover alternatives in one niche it could end up having benefits down the line on other, more significant causes of pollution.

Re: EU to ban plastic plates, cups, and cutlery by 2021

#35

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why not: Fast food: metal cutlery at the restaurant that gets washed and reused. Take away: your own cutlery at home.

And if you're on the go? Eating as a passenger in a car, etc.

I can fathom having a portable case for a set of silverware, that you clean when you get home.

Re: EU to ban plastic plates, cups, and cutlery by 2021

#36

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why not: Fast food: metal cutlery at the restaurant that gets washed and reused. Take away: your own cutlery at home.

And if you're on the go? Eating as a passenger in a car, etc.

When it's not possible to sit down and enjoy your meal outside of the car, which I understand happens, then bamboo cutlery may be offered.

Re: EU to ban plastic plates, cups, and cutlery by 2021

#37

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why not: Fast food: metal cutlery at the restaurant that gets washed and reused. Take away: your own cutlery at home.

And if you're on the go? Eating as a passenger in a car, etc.

> And if you're on the go? Eating as a passenger in a car, etc.

Maybe eat food that does not require cutlery ?

Re: EU to ban plastic plates, cups, and cutlery by 2021

#38
post #5

The western world is responsible for 1,25 % of all ocean plastic pollution. Europe is only 0,28 %![0] There is no need to ban single-use plastics in the West. It's just virtue signaling and the so-called 'solutions' lower our comfort, will cause a rise in food poisoning deaths and are worse for the environment.[1] When you mention this, people reply we should set an example and other countries will follow. The idea t…

It doesn’t help much! Better do nothing!

Re: EU to ban plastic plates, cups, and cutlery by 2021

#39
Like the bag ban in California this will probably just increase trash by causing people to use bulkier disposables. Restaurants and such will replace these with super-cheap glass or metal disposables that also consume more fuel when shipped because they weigh more. Cheap paper alternatives are often from pulp that is not sustainably sourced and in many cases they fall apart and so are rejected by customers. These measures might be well intentioned but they don't work and often backfire.

There is no way we're going to decrease oceanic plastic pollution without sanctioning or otherwise pressuring the nations and industries that are primarily responsible for it. For nations it's largely China, India, and a few others. For industries fishing fleets are a disproportionate source, and most of the culprits here are also not US or EU based.

Re: EU to ban plastic plates, cups, and cutlery by 2021

#40
post #5

The western world is responsible for 1,25 % of all ocean plastic pollution. Europe is only 0,28 %![0] There is no need to ban single-use plastics in the West. It's just virtue signaling and the so-called 'solutions' lower our comfort, will cause a rise in food poisoning deaths and are worse for the environment.[1] When you mention this, people reply we should set an example and other countries will follow. The idea t…

If my local river is full of garbage does it help that some other country has even more garbage? I see this laws helping also with the local plastic problem.

Does your local river actually have a plastic problem? I am not sure thats a problem in western countries with functioning waste management systems. I thought the water problems we had were generally from industrial or agriculture runoffs. Am I wrong?
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