More and more measures are being taken to reduce pollution on our planet, especially with plastic, which causes great havoc in the oceans. Some time ago the classic plastic rings that grouped the cans began to be replaced by systems made from cardboard, just as in the take away they began to use cutlery and containers made from recyclable materials. Now, after the approval four years ago of the European regulations to reduce the impact of this material on the environment, it is the turn of stoppers.
For weeks now it has been possible to go to a bar or a cafeteria and be served a soft drink in which the cap cannot be separated from the bottle. Companies have begun to incorporate this measure, replacing the usual screw caps with a version attached to the container itself, to comply with the directive that the European Union approved in 2019 on single-use plastics.
The regulation, approved in 2018 and modified in 2019, was transposed by Spain in 2022. It establishes that single-use plastic products that have lids or caps, such as bottles or tetrabriks, may only be marketed if they “remain attached to the container during the intended use phase of said product”. According to the text, these product design requirements will become mandatory for all companies operating in Europe by mid-2024.
The design changes slightly to prevent the plugs from being separated and contaminating the environment. The difference lies in the fact that, after making the usual gesture of unscrewing the cap, it will not separate, but by means of two tabs it remains attached to the bottle. Although some people try to separate it or tear the plug, the idea is precisely that this does not happen.
In this way, the user does not have to recycle separately and the bottles can be deposited in one piece in the corresponding container. In addition, this change also facilitates recycling in processing plants.
The measure has caught some consumers by surprise, despite the fact that big brands such as Coca-Cola or Fanta already announced it last year. “I’ve been trying to open the new tail plug for 15 minutes,” says one. “I’ve stuck the stopper three times already trying to drink,” says another user on Twitter. We will have to get used to it, because it is a change at a European level that all products will have to adopt.
For some time now, international authorities and organizations have become aware of the need to end plastic pollution and reverse its effects, one of the great challenges in sustainability. The EU has approved various regulations to date, such as the disappearance of straws or disposable cutlery made of this material.
