Single use plastics (SUPs) are a huge, global problem resulting in land, sea and air pollution, unecessary resource consumption, greenhouse gas emissions and harm to wildlife and to human health. Despite growing awarness of plastic pollution, I'm horrified by single use plastics' increasing prevalence. It seems that companies, retailers, caterers, etc. are finding more and more places they can use disposable plastics in instances in which we didn't use them before.

Plastic production releases carcinogenic and neurotoxic chemicals into the air and water. 380 million metric tonnes of plastic are produced annually and 8 million metric tonnes of this are dumped into the ocean. Recycling is not the answer as the recycling of plastic causes about half the pollution that producing new plastic causes and plastic can only be recycled once or twice before it is dumped or incinerated. The incineration process also releases harmful chemicals into the air.

Microplastic pollution has been detected in the blood of almost 80% of people tested. Microplastics cause damage to human cells and and cause millions of early deaths every year.

The EU's Single Use Plastic Directive 2019 aims 'to prevent and reduce the impact of certain plastic products on the environment'. The legislation is obviously too light as SUPs and plastic pollution continue to increase in Europe and globally. 

The short list of banned products does not include plastic-lined coffee cups or the excessive plastic packaging used on consumer goods. The directive considers these 'SUPs for which there is no alternative', ignoring the existance of compostable plastic alternatives, keep cups and zero-waste refill stores.

In light of the enormity of the problems caused by SUPs, we cannot afford to phase them out gradually. Alternative solutions already exist and it is importnat that we start using them now. 

Please sign this petition calling on the European Union Parliament to ban all SUPs in all EU member states immediately.