Overview
Single-use plastic (SUP) products are designed to be used just once, or for a brief moment, before being discarded. Despite such a short lifespan, their environmental and health impacts are far-reaching and severe.
Because SUP items are significantly more likely to pollute our oceans than reusable alternatives, they pose a critical threat to marine ecosystems.
To address this challenge, the EU is taking decisive action. By establishing targeted rules to lower the volume and mitigate the impact of specific plastic products, the EU aims to lead global efforts in combating plastic pollution and protecting our oceans.
Background
The Single-Use Plastics Directive (Directive (EU) 2019/904) (SUPD) is a cornerstone of the EU’s legislative framework dedicated to curbing plastic pollution, protecting marine ecosystems, and accelerating the transition to a circular economy.
It targets the 10 single-use plastic items most commonly found on Europe's beaches, as well as oxo-degradable plastics and fishing gear containing plastic.
It requires Member States to implement tailored, proportionate measures based on product availability and impact, ranging from market bans and consumption reduction targets to product design rules (such as tethered caps), mandatory consumer labelling, and Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) schemes.
Why do we have this law?
The directive was born in 2019 out of growing alarm over the overwhelming accumulation of plastic litter in the marine environment and its long-term impact on ecosystems and human health. Single-use plastic items account for half of all marine litter on European beaches, and together with fishing gear, represent 70% of all marine litter in the EU.
Unlike natural materials, plastics persist in the environment for hundreds of years, breaking down into micro and nanoplastics that contaminate soil, waterways, and marine life, ultimately entering the human food chain. The directive addresses the inherently unsustainable "take-make-dispose" model of single-use plastics by replacing short-lived items with durable, reusable, and less polluting alternatives.
Alignment with other EU policies
The Single-Use Plastics Directive is a crucial legal instrument supporting the EU’s overarching environmental architecture. It operates in close alignment with key EU environmental legislation, including the Waste Framework Directive, the Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive, and the Marine Strategy Framework Directive, directly contributing to the objective of achieving "good environmental status" in European marine waters.
Strategic basis
On a strategic level, the directive is a core deliverable under the European Green Deal, playing a central role in both the EU Plastics Strategy and the Circular Economy Action Plan. The SUPD is essential to fulfilling the EU's commitments under the Zero Pollution Action Plan and the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 by stopping plastic pollution at its source.
Internationally, the directive positions the EU as a global leader in environmental governance, reinforcing European commitments under the UN Sustainable Development Goals (specifically SDG 12 on responsible consumption and SDG 14 on life below water) and driving global momentum toward a legally binding UN treaty on plastic pollution.
Legislation: Directive (EU) 2019/904 on the reduction of the impact of certain plastic products on the environment
Status: In force since July 2, 2019
Application date: July 3, 2021 (see timeline for secondary obligations)
