Bottles with attached caps have stirred up a lot of emotions and have started discussions about the comfort of their use. Many people complained about the annoying need to tilt or hold the cap when drinking straight from the bottle, and some pointed out that trying to tear it off ends in spilling water on clothes and objects around them. Others, on the other hand, claimed that thanks to this solution, the cap will not fall to the ground or get lost during travel. The discussions have often led to arguments between supporters and opponents of attaching caps, and the regulations formally came into force only on July 1. However, manufacturers introduced this change a bit earlier.
The caps will be attached to the bottles. The EU directive has entered into force
The reason for the changes is the EU SUP directive () regarding single-use plastic items. It justifies that caps and lids used for beverage containers are the most common single-use plastic items found on beaches. Therefore, in Art. 6 on the requirements includes the provision that “Member States shall ensure that (…) single-use plastic products with caps and lids made of plastic may be placed on the market only if these lids and lids remain attached to containers during the intended use of the product.
This means that from July 1, bottles with twist-off caps will no longer be available in stores. Entrepreneurs will also feel the change. – We had to explain ourselves because consumers still wanted to take part in charity collections involving collecting bottle caps. Thunderstorms rained down on us – said Tadeusz Mroczkowski, president of Mlekpol during the 16th European Economic Congress in Katowice, quoted by . As he noted, his company’s compliance with EU regulations amounted to PLN 30 million.
Minister of Climate and Environment advises: Leaving the cap on is the most ecological option
In connection with the directive, from 1 July there will no longer be bottles with caps that are not attached to them. So what can be done? Anita Sowińska advised not to tear off the caps. – Leaving the cap on the bottle or carton and throwing the packaging into a yellow container is the most ecological solution. Unfortunately, caps often end up in landfills or incinerators instead of being recycled. This is also the most common waste on beaches. Meanwhile, caps are a valuable material suitable for recycling. This is a truly systemic solution that actually improves the condition of the environment – said the minister during the conference on 27 June.
Source: Gazeta
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