Companies are circumventing regulations aimed at reducing single-use plastic use. Targets to reduce plastic waste are therefore at risk of not being met, the Human Environment and Transport Monitoring Board (ILT) warns in its report to the House of Representatives today.
Last week NOS reported that before the rules were introduced, the audit had taken a negative view on the rules’ applicability, workability and resistance to fraud.
It’s not illegal
This is a package of rules encouraging the use of reusable packaging that has been gradually introduced since 2021. This means less plastic goes into the trash. 19 million plastic containers and cups are thrown away every day in the Netherlands.
Part of this is the controversial surcharge on single-use plastic containers and cups. The House of Representatives passed a resolution last week to eliminate this surcharge.
According to ILT, companies are seizing opportunities to bypass regulations and are still mostly focusing on single-use packaging. The organization responsible for enforcement says what the companies are doing is not illegal, but it is undesirable.
No hard plastic, just soft cases
For example, they are replacing hard plastic packaging, for which supermarkets charge a plastic surcharge, with “soft” plastic lids. This applies, for example, to individual portions of nuts, salads, fruits or snack vegetables.
Additionally, increasingly beverage cartons can be found on shelves to prevent sediment buildup in cans and vials. Since there is no deposit requirement for fruit juice, syrup, milk drink and alcoholic beverage producers, it is more attractive to use plastic bottles as packaging. They should ask for a deposit if they can.
The regulator said companies were also making minimal adjustments to products such as plastic straws, plates and cutlery and offering them as reusable. However, in practice, use is one-time.
Source: NOS
Roy Brown is a renowned economist and author at The Nation View. He has a deep understanding of the global economy and its intricacies. He writes about a wide range of economic topics, including monetary policy, fiscal policy, international trade, and labor markets.
