An EU directive banning single-use plastic products is set to go into force this weekend, but in terms of legislation Finland is lagging behind.
However, many retailers have already made or prepared for the changes. The farewell to banned plastic items will not likely hugely impact people's daily lives, as there already are alternative products on store shelves and the outlawed disposables can be sold off until they're gone.
The banned items make up a long list of utensils and household items many have become used to in their daily lives.
Banned plastic products:
- Plastic straws, utensils and plastic covered disposable plates
- Plastic ear swabs
- Plastic balloon sticks
- Plastic cocktail or drink mixing sticks
- Single use oxo-degradable plastic products and some types of polystyrene, including various food packaging
However, most customers won't likely notice a big difference in stores, according to Nora Lehtinen, category management and procurement manager at retail chain operator S-Group.
"The most concrete change will be that shoppers won't be able to find plastic straws and disposable plastic utensils," she said, noting that S-Group began preparing for this weekend's change in 2018.
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The retailer has found replacement non-plastic products for every item that is being banned. She said there is no need for consumers to rush out to stores and horde large quantities of disposable plastic items.
"Manufacturers will still be permitted to deliver the products they've already made. Some suppliers have said that they have stock that will last up to a year, so it's not like the products will disappear right away," Lehtinen said.
Even though non-plastic replacements have been found, the new items might be a bit pricier than their plastic counterparts.
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"This would apply, for example, to single-use cardboard picnic plates, which are covered by a thin layer of plastic — which will be banned. In this case, manufacturers have had to find other processes and materials to cover plates. At the end of the day it means more expensive products for the consumer," Lehtinen explained.
The EU directive on single use plastic does include some exceptions, but disposable plastic items will need to be marked with a cartoon image featuring an unwell-looking turtle floating next to a discarded plastic mug and a note in several languages stating that "This product contains plastic."
Products that will need turtle warning labels:
- Female hygiene products including pads and tampons
- Wet wipes
- Filtered tobacco products
- Disposable mugs and glasses
While the EU directive goes into effect this weekend, it will take some time for Finland's law books to catch up. Finland's legislation will be adopted later this summer, according to the environment ministry's legal affairs senior specialist Jussi Kauppila.
Finland waited for the European Commission to finalise the directive's specifics for nearly a year, which meant there was a limited amount of time to write up local laws.
"The law could be adopted in mid-July and regulations on disposable plastics will be adopted in August. Finland will not be sanctioned for such a small delay," Kauppila said.