Big news from the European Union (EU)! They’re shaking up hotel stays by saying bye-bye to those tiny plastic bottles of shampoo and soap.
So, here’s the deal: EU countries have all agreed to kick single-use plastics to the curb. Belgium led the charge, sealing the deal with the European Parliament on Monday night (March 11, 2024). Their plan? Cut down plastic waste by 5 percent by 2030 and a whopping 15 percent by 2040. And get this—all packaging has to be recyclable from now on.
Translation? Come January 1, 2030, those itty-bitty shampoo bottles will be history in EU hotels.
But wait, there’s more! Restaurants too. They’ll have to nix the plastic sauce packets (unless it’s for takeout, of course).
And it’s not just hotels and restaurants feeling the heat. Fast-food joints will have to ditch those plastic plates, cups, and boxes too.
Oh, and there’s a ban on what they’re calling ‘forever chemicals’ in food packaging. No more polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) sneaking into our grub.
Why the sudden eco-friendly vibe? Well, the EU woke up and smelled the coffee—literally. Packaging waste has shot up by over 20 percent in the last decade alone, with each EU country churning out nearly 419 pounds of it per year.
But hey, small businesses won’t be hit by these new rules.
Now, all this buzz is still waiting for the thumbs-up from the European Parliament and EU governments.