Slovak parlt approves ban on selected plastic disposable products

Slovakia's parliament on Wednesday approved the Environment Ministry's amendment to the law on waste that aims to ensure that certain plastic disposable products will disappear from the Slovak market and that burning waste collected for recycling is prohibited. As of 2021, it will be illegal to sell plastic plates, cutlery, drink stirrers, straws, balloon sticks, cotton buds, cups and beverage packaging made out of expanded polystyrene. The ban also concerns oxo-degradable plastics, as these are not biodegradable and degrade into microplastics, which pollute the environment. Towns that are currently exempt from forcing their inhabitants to separate biowaste will also be subjected to the changes, as such exemptions will not be possible as of 2023.