The Italian Adaptation to SUP directive
The Legislative decree 1996/2021 of 11/8/21 incorporates in our system the c.d. “Direttiva SUP” to reduce the consumption and the dispersion of monouse plastic items. The italian incorporations include two significant differences compared to the communal direction:
It excludes the monouse items with plastic coatings with less than 10 micron (for example paper monouse dishes coated by a very thin layer of polyethylene);
It excludes the items produced with at least 40% (since 2022) and 69% (since 2024) biodegradable and compostable plastic, whereas the Directive, on the other hand, is regarded as any other type of plastic.
Subject to these two decisions, we decline in 6 fields of initiatives to be developed in different time frames:
01. The restriction of consumption
02. The reduction of consumption
03. Product requirements
04. Recycling
05. Requirements of product marking
06. An extended responsibility of the manufacturer
Restriction of consumption
From 1/14/2022 a ban of placing the following monouse plastic items on the market (unless stocks previously produced are used up):
Cotton swabs
Drink stirrers
Balloon poles
Monouse plates and cutlery
Straws
Containers / mugs / monoportion glasses for food / in expanded polyester
Recycling and product requirements
Obligation to reach 77% (no later than 2025) and 90% (no later than 2029) of waste separation for plastic bottles for liquids and food (bottles in PET) that will need to contain an average of total input for consumption at least 25% (starting from 2025) and 30% (starting from 2031) of recycled PET, and whose plastic caps, starting from 7/3/2024 will need to be made to stay on the bottle during and after use.
Requirements for product marking
Starting from 2022 an obligation to indicate on packaging the modes of correct disposal of the waste and the presence of plastic for:
Sanitary pads / tampons
Filters for tobacco products
Wet wipes
Cups / glasses for beverages.