Dutch stop using plastic coffee cups in 2023, to comply with EU rules

The cabinet is to ban plastic single use coffee cups in 2023 and environment-unfriendly packaging for ready-to-eat meals from 2024, junior infrastructure minister Steven van Weyenberg has told MPs in a briefing.

The measures must still be assessed to ensure they comply with EU legislation, but the concept has already been discussed with the food, service and recreation sectors, Van Weyenberg said.

Every year, some seven billion plastic cups and takeaway food packages are thrown away, the equivalent of 19 million a day, he said.

Van Weyenberg did leave the door open for the use of throwaway cups and plates to continue, if the location where they are used operates a ‘high value’ recycling scheme with a target of 75% recycled in 2023 and 90% by 2026.

Van Weyenberg said he hoped the measures would lead to a 40% reduction in the use of disposable plastic goods by 2026, pointing out that the number of plastic bags collected as litter has gone down 70% since a charge was introduced.

Since July, the use of plastic straws, cotton buds, cutlery and plates has been banned throughout the EU, and tougher rules have also been introduced for plastic cups and balloons.

Deposits will be introduced on cans in 2022.