Bars, cafés and restaurants acrossSpain, including in the Balearic andCanary Islands, will soon be forced to stop offering plastic sachets for products includingketchup, mayonnaise, vinegar and other sauces under newEuropean Unionrules. The new regulations will come into force in a matter of months and are expected to bring major changes to the hospitality sector during the peak summertouristseason.
As part of the bloc's commitment to cuttingplastic waste, under the new legislation, single-use plastic condiment sachets must be removed from tables in restaurants, bars and cafés from August 12. Businesses will instead be expected to use more sustainable alternatives, including refillable communal dispensers, reusable glass or ceramic containers or paper-based or certified compostable sachet packaging.
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However, even the latter will only be allowed temporarily, with theEUplanning to phase out compostable plastics completely by 2030.
However, the changes have sparked concern among restaurant owners and hospitality associations, who have warned that refillable containers could create hygiene and food safety risks,Canarian Weeklyreported.
Industry groups have argued that constantly reused dispensers and open condiment containers may increase the risk of contamination if not cleaned and monitored properly, especially in busy tourist areas with high customer turnover.
The EU regulation includes some exceptions where sealed single-use packaging may still be allowed, including in hospitals and healthcare centres and in situations where food safety requirements require sealed packaging. Exact limits of some exemptions are still being debated.
Global industries use anestimated 855 billion plastic sachets annually. As they are made of bonded, mixed materials, almost all are destined for landfill or incineration rather than recycling. The single-serve and portion-control (less than 50ml) segment is the fastest-growing market in Europe, increasing by around 5.7% annually due to a reliance on fast food and takeaway orders.
The measure forms part of wider European efforts to reduce plastic waste and cut the environmental impact caused by disposable packaging.
Source: Daily Express :: World Feed
