European parliament backs single-use plastics ban

This article published by CNN reports that the European Parliament voted 571-53 to ban various single-use plastics including straws, cotton buds and cutlery across the Union in an effort to stop ocean pollution. The proposal calls for the ban of 10 single-use plastic products by 2021 and for EU states to recycle 90% of plastic bottles by 2025. Other items such as food boxes and containers for which no alternatives exist will still have to be reduced by 25% in each country by 2025. Frederique Ries, the Member of the European Parliament who proposed the bill, said that "It is essential in…