Assessment of different EU policies to reduce the environmental impact of single-use plastics: a German perspective

Abstract

Plastic is a lightweight, flexible and durable material, whose once innovative characteristics have turned it into a nightmare for ecosystems, biodiversity and potentially human health. In the last decades the worldwide production of plastics has increased significantly and, consequently, the amount of plastic waste has also increased. However, the life span of plastic products stretches far beyond their disposal, so that every plastic product which cannot be brought back into the economy turns into litter and becomes a huge problem, especially to marine environments. In this context, the global awareness of the negative effects of plastic waste have encouraged governments to take action against this problem. The European Union as a forerunner in terms of environmental policies, has adopted several measures to address the steps of the plastic waste stream, including the recently enacted EU 2019/904 Directive on the reduction of the impact of certain plastic products on the environment. Focusing on Germany, this thesis provides an analysis of the EU 2019/904 policy instrument mix and thereafter assesses its effectiveness, efficiency, its capability of providing incentives for producers to keep investing in new environmentally friendly products, practicability, flexibility and its acceptance by society and by plastic producers, also considering the Directive`s main purposes of reducing the environmental impact of single-use plastics and of promoting the transition to a more circular economy. Besides the limited available data, the effects of the Directive on the environment and on circularity of plastics seem to be positive for Germany and the European Union, so that the instrument seems suitable for achieving its objectives, although empirical evaluations in the future may be needed for confirming the results.