It was the date from which a small group of products (sanitary towels, wet wipes, and drinking cups) could only be taken to market in the EU if they carried a warning: ‘Plastic in Product’, accompanied with a drawing of a turtle. 

The Single-Use Plastic Directive (EU) 2019/904 was published in June 2019. The Member States must apply these measures no later than 2 years after the entry into force of the Directive (i.e. by July 2021). The new law, is also known as the single-use plastics (SUP) Directive, aims to prevent and reduce the impact of certain plastic products on the environment, in particular the aquatic environment, and on human health.

It will impact plastic food-contact materials and articles through, among others, a ban on certain single-use plastics, introduction of marking requirements, increased collection goals for plastic packaging, extended producer responsibility schemes, and design requirements for beverage containers.

There will be EU wide market restrictions or ban on the placing on the market of certain single-use plastics, which applies to: cutlery, plates, beverage stirrers, straws, balloon sticks and cotton bud sticks, and cups, food and beverage containers made from expanded polystyrene. 

 Design

The design of the marker is reproduced without adding any effects that alter the colors or update or expand the background. The mark is reproduced at a minimum resolution of 300 DPI when printed in actual size. The marking is bordered with a thin white line.The text “PRODUCT CONTAINS PLASTIC” is applied in capital letters, in Helvetica Bold font. The font size is at least 5 pt for cups less than 500 ml and 6 pt for cups of 500 ml or more. When the text is translated into one or more other official languages of the Member States, the translated text is placed either just below the mark or in the rectangular black box below the first language; in both cases it is clearly visible.

In exceptional cases due to lack of space on the outside of the cup, the text translated into one or more other official languages of the Member States may be placed elsewhere on the cup, as close as possible to the mark and clearly visible. The translated text is capitalized in Helvetica Bold font. The font size is at least 5 pt for cups less than 500 ml and 6 pt for cups of 500 ml and more. When the text is placed in the rectangular black box in additional languages, deviations from the maximum required size of the marking are possible.

Dimensions

The marking is rectangular and the height to length ratio is 1:2. For beakers with a volume of less than 500 ml, the minimum size of the marking is 1.4 cm by 2.8 cm (3.92 cm2). For beakers with a volume of 500 ml or more, the minimum size of the marking is 1.6 cm by 3.2 cm (5.12 cm2).