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Date Published: 26/06/2024

All plastic bottles in Spain will have non-removable caps from next month

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Plastic containers of more than 3 litres will all feature this new design in Spain

All plastic bottles in Spain will have non-removable caps from next month

Spain is taking a bold step forward in the war on plastic waste with a recent announcement that all plastic bottles will soon feature non-removable caps. This change, prompted by European regulations and set to take effect from July 3, has sparked a range of reactions, from jokes to complaints.

Social media has been flooded with funny memes of thirsty individuals catching their lips or even noses on the fixed caps, and many people have griped about spilling their delicious beverages since the bottle tops have an annoying habit of twisting. But love them or loathe them, these caps are here to stay and will soon be donning every drink imaginable from milk to lemonade.

And despite the very mixed feelings about the cap design, when presented with the rationale behind this change, 26% of respondents in consumer surveys changed their minds and accepted the new concept. So, what's the reason for this sticky situation?

The implementation of several European regulations and Spain's Law 7/2022 on waste and contaminated soils for a circular economy is driving this shift. The law states that, from July 2024, only single-use plastic products with lids or caps that remain attached during their intended use phase can be placed on the market. This applies to all beverage containers up to three litres in capacity.

The primary goal of this measure is to reduce the amount of plastic waste accidentally left in the environment or lost during the waste management process. It’s estimated that 6% of waste found on European beaches consists of plastic bottle tops, and this new regulation aims to reduce the risk of cap loss by almost half.

Additionally, recyclers and waste managers stand to benefit, as smaller caps are more likely to be lost or go undetected during sorting, ending up in landfills instead of recycling plants.

The cap-glued-to-the-bottle solution isn't perfect though; since the lids and bottles are generally made of different types of plastic, this necessitates a two-step recycling process, which is more laborious and expensive.

And there’s another major problem, as plastic recycling in Spain isn’t nearly as well-managed or encouraged as the likes of glass and paper. These materials have bespoke bins in virtually every neighbourhood these days while plastics rarely do, despite the fact that their recycling processes leave behind a far higher carbon footprint than the humble plastic bottle.

However, it’s still a huge step in the right environmental direction and while there are sure to be challenges and adjustments along the way, from next month Spain will wholeheartedly embrace the changes – whether we like it or not.

In other news: EU bans plastic ketchup and sugar sachets

Image: Unsplash

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