Plastic carrier bag

The general concept of plastic carrier bags is defined in the Ordinance (2021:996) on single-use products as a plastic bag provided to enable consumers to pack and carry goods from the place where the goods are provided. Thin plastic carrier bags are defined as a plastic carrier bag thinner than 50 micrometres. Very thin plastic carrier bags are bags that are thinner than 15 micrometres and are needed for hygiene reasons or are provided for food sold in bulk. Plastic carrier bags that have been designed for long-term use are exempt by the rules.

Beverage container

Examples of beverage containers are plastic beverage bottles, including corks and lids, and beverage containers in composite materials, including corks and lids.

The following four criteria can be used to determine whether a beverage container or beverage bottle is covered by the Regulation:

is made entirely or partly of plastic,
is not a mug,
has a capacity not exceeding three litres, and
is a container intended for liquid.

A beverage container may be composed of more than one material, one of which may be plastic. In cases where one of the materials is plastic, the end product is considered to be partly made of plastic and is covered by the Directive on Single-use Plastics. When, for example, paper or cardboard-based beverage containers have a plastic lining or a plastic coating on the surface, they are partly made of plastic and are thus covered by the directive.

Beverage containers in glass or metal with corks and lids made of plastic are not covered.

Beverage containers and beverage bottles used for food for special medical purposes as defined in Article 2.2 g of Regulation (EU) No 609/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council (21) and in liquid form shall be exempted from Article 6 in accordance with point b of Part C and point b of Part F of the Annex.

Cup

Cups are defined in the Ordinance on single-use products as glasses, cups or mugs intended for beverages (cold or hot) which are usually drunk directly from the container. A cup can be with or without a lid.

Cups used for liquid, which meet the requirements set out above and are sold empty, are also covered.

A cup can be made entirely of plastic or composed of more than one material, one of which can be plastic. In cases where one of the materials is plastic, the end product is considered to be partly made of plastic and is covered by the Directive on Single-use Plastics. When, for example, paper or cardboard-based cups have a plastic lining or a plastic coating on the surface, they are partly made of plastic and are thus covered by the directive.

Food container

According to the Ordinance on single-use products, food containers are packaging, with or without lids, that are molded or mostly unchanged in shape after the contents are added or removed. The food container can, for example, be used for fast food such as meals with cold or hot food, sandwiches, wraps and salads. Containers for foods containing fresh or processed foods that do not require any further preparation, such as fruits, vegetables and desserts, are also included.

A food container can be made entirely of plastic or composed of more than one material, one of which can be plastic. In cases where one of the materials is plastic, the end product is considered to be partly made of plastic and is covered by the Directive on Singe-use Plastics. When, for example, paper or cardboard-based food containers have a plastic lining or a plastic coating on the surface, they are partly made of plastic and are thus covered by the directive.

In order for a food container to be covered, it must be used for fast food. A food container, with or without a lid, is therefore covered by the regulation if it is used for food that:

are intended to be consumed directly (at the point of sale or elsewhere),
is usually consumed directly from the packaging,
and is ready to be consumed without any further preparation (for example, cooking or heating).

In addition to the above criteria, the probability that a food container will become debris due to its volume or size must be included in the assessment to determine whether it is a disposable plastic product covered by the Directive.

Food containers used for food that meet the requirements of the Directive but are sold empty and are not intended to be filled at the point of sale are also covered by the Directive.

Flexible wrappers

According to the Directive on Single-use Plastics, packets and wrappers are defined as packaging made of a flexible material. In the ordinance (2022:1274) on producer responsibility for packaging, a flexible wrapper is also a flexible single-use plastic product that contains foods that are intended to be consumed directly from the packaging without further preparation.

A flexible wrapper for food can be made entirely of plastic or composed of more than one material, one of which can be plastic. In cases where one of the materials is plastic, the end product is considered to be partly made of plastic and therefore covered. When, for example, paper-based flexible wrappers have a plastic lining or a plastic coating on the surface, they are partly made of plastic and are thus covered by the directive.