Water, sodas, milk, iced teas… Solidarity caps must become more widespread under a 2019 European Union directive seeking to reduce plastic pollution. “Plastic caps and lids used for beverage containers are among the single-use plastic items most frequently found on EU beaches,” is underlined in this directive which had to be transposed into the law of the Member States.
“Therefore, the placing on the market of beverage containers that are single-use plastic products should only be permitted if the design of these containers meets specific requirements that significantly reduce the dispersion of plastic caps and lids of beverage containers into the environment,” it added.
The measure does not apply to glass containers
This concerns plastic bottles but also “composite packaging” such as milk or juice cartons which contain cardboard, plastic and aluminum. However, glass or metal containers, as well as products “for medical purposes”, are excluded.
Presenting itself as a “pioneer” in this area, the Cristaline water brand, the most widely sold in France, started using solidarity caps in 2016. “It prevents caps from being released into the environment and facilitates selective sorting for optimal recycling,” it states in a press release.
