Ref. Ares(2022)8905103 - 21/12/2022
States and has sought input from stakeholders. Due to the complexity of the issues, those
consultations have taken additional time and the guidelines are currently being finalised.
The Commission is fully aware of the critical role played by certain single-use plastic
products for health-related applications during the current pandemic. Please note that the
Directive aims to address the unsustainable use of certain single plastic products, and
prevent and reduce their impact on the environment. Healthcare applications are not
covered. Furthermore, Article 11 of the Directive states that: ‘
The measures that
Member States take to transpose and implement…this Directive shall comply with Union
food law to ensure that food hygiene and food safety are not compromised. Member
States shall encourage the use of sustainable alternatives to single-use plastic where
possible for materials intended to come into contact with food.’ Therefore, single-use
alternatives remain an option also under the SUP Directive, which is particularly relevant
in cases where the safety and hygiene of multiple use products cannot be guaranteed.
In your letter, you also address the implications for the bioplastics industry. Regardless
of the final decision taken on the Guidelines, please note that Recital 11 of the SUP
Directive states: ‘[t]
he adapted definition of plastics should therefore cover […] bio-
based and biodegradable plastic regardless of whether they are derived from biomass or
are intended to biodegrade over time’. The revision of the SUP Directive envisaged for
2027 will look at the scientific and technical progress on biodegradability of single-use
plastic products in the marine environment. It would need to be ensured that single-use
plastic products undergo full decomposition into carbon dioxide, biomass and water
within a timescale short enough not to be harmful to marine life and not to lead to an
accumulation of plastics in the environment. In this context, please note that the
Scientific Advice Mechanism (SAM) recently published some advice to the Commission
on the question of biodegradable plastics2.
I trust this letter answers your queries, and look forward to continued good cooperation
on advancing the transition to a resource-efficient and more circular economy.
Yours sincerely,
e-signed
Florika FINK-
HOOIJER
2
https://ec.europa.eu/info/news/new-scientific-opinion-biodegradability-plastics-open-environment-2020-
dec-14 en
2
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