On 27 March 2019, EU lawmakers approved a ban on certain single-use plastics for which alternatives exist – see Plasteurope.com of 28.03.2019. The Oxo-biodegradable Plastics Association (OPA, London / UK; www.biodeg.org) has now accused the EU of “maladministration” for including oxo-degradable plastics on the list of banned items without following its own legal procedures.

The association said under EU law, prior consultation with all stakeholders must be made before any chemicals are restricted. “This is serious maladministration and the industry will take the case to the European Court of Justice if necessary,” OPA said in a statement, adding that it had already consulted a “leading expert” on EU law.

According to the association, the ban was made without waiting for the advice of the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA, Helsinki / Finland; www.echa.europa.eu), the EU regulatory body that addresses the use of chemicals substances and their impact on human health and environment. OPA said the European Commission in December 2017 had asked ECHA to study oxo-degradable plastics, but the body has so far made no findings against these polymers.

According to the OPA, the governments of several countries have passed legislation making it mandatory to use oxo-degradable or crop-based plastics for disposable items. The following countries only allow imports from plastic factories or brand owners if their single-use plastic products contain oxo-degradable technology:

• Albania
• Brazil (parts)
• Ivory Coast
• Jordan
• Pakistan (parts)
• Rwanda
• Togo
• Saudi Arabia
• United Arab Emirates
• Yemen