Fixed traffic jams do not cause stress to residents

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chase
Lithuania
2024.07.02 13:38

A survey conducted in May by the public body “Ožstatas systemosadministratorius” showed that for the majority (72%) of producers surveyed, the decision to put a cap on the bottle had no impact.

For one in seven residents, this becomes a reason to choose to buy drinks from those producers who put the cap on the bottle.

Gintaras Varnas, head of VšĮ’s “Užstatas systemos administriaus”, said this confirms a clear global trend that more and more consumers have expectations for sustainability and “vote” with their wallets for more sustainable products. Therefore, more and more manufacturers try to take consumer expectations into account when competing for buyers.

The new ban does not apply to glass and metal beverage containers with plastic stoppers and lids, and beverage containers with metal stoppers and lids with plastic seals, as they are not considered to be made of plastic.

“Although there is no limit on the sales period of the packages with old-style stoppers and caps remaining on the Lithuanian market, there will be fewer and fewer packages on the shelves until they disappear completely, as every manufacturer and importer wants to sell their products. The old packages are replaced by drinks in new-style packaging, in full compliance with legal requirements,” G. Varnas said in the report.

According to the Ministry of Environment, beverage containers with unattached caps can be distributed, filled, sold and distributed indefinitely if they are introduced to the Lithuanian market before (and including) July 2 of this year. This date must be stated on the manufacturer’s or supplier’s invoice, and the actual handover may also take place later.

PET plastic bottles account for more than half of the packaging units returned each year. According to USAD, in 2023, residents returned 353 million PET bottles.

The ban on the supply of beverage containers without lids was set out in the EU Directive on the reduction of single-use plastics adopted in 2019 and has been transferred to the Waste Management Act. The change in legislation aims to establish new practices for producers supported by consumers. Once they have lids on, they are less likely to get lost in nature in places where drinks are usually consumed: by the lake, in forest campsites, in parks, etc.

Prior to the directive’s adoption, a study commissioned by the European Commission showed that bottle caps and lids were among the ten most common items of litter on EU beaches, seasides and seas, as they often fall off and get lost when unscrewing them.

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