Why This Petition Matters

Introduction

Every day, thousands of plastic ties are used to secure our trash bags, eventually polluting our cities, countryside, and oceans.

Year after year, millions of plastic ties from trash bags end up in our urban and natural environments, contributing to escalating pollution and posing severe risks to human health and wildlife. Let's take inspiration from the European Union's initiative to regulate the attachment of caps to plastic bottles to combat this pollution. It's time to act similarly for the so-called "traditional closure" trash bag ties.

These ties cause irreparable damage; it is time to act, to end this preventable pollution.

1. Severe Environmental Impact

Detachable trash bag ties, often non-recyclable, significantly increase our plastic footprint. Their small size makes them difficult to collect and recycle, thus contributing to their accumulation in the environment.

These plastic ties do not degrade and can persist in the environment for centuries, contaminating our soil and waterways. Every year, 8 million tons of plastic end up in our oceans. Marine creatures, including endangered species like sea turtles and cetaceans, often mistake these ties for food. Ingestion can be fatal. Birds, caught in these ties, can suffer mutilation or die of exhaustion and starvation.

Our biodiversity's safety is at stake. This is not just visual pollution; it's an ecological crisis.

2. Danger to Human Health

For us humans, these ties pose a direct risk.

Plastic ties can cause cuts and injuries, particularly to children. They can also be accidentally ingested by young children, leading to choking or intestinal blockages. They are potentially dangerous to Seniors, causing accidental falls due to accumulation on sidewalks. Moreover, as they break down, they transform into microplastics, infiltrating the food chain and impacting our health in still unknown and unpredictable ways.

According to a study by Newcastle University in 2019, 52,000 microplastic particles end up in our plates each year. Despite this, plastic production has increased by 4% per year since 2000.

Every abandoned tie can become an invisible but persistent threat.

3. Recycling Challenges

Currently, recycling plastic ties is complex and costly, and most end up in our landfills or incinerators, releasing toxins into the air and soil. Many of them are unrecoverable, as they are dispersed into fragments across our countryside.

We have viable, environmentally friendly alternatives, such as ties made from biodegradable materials or bags with integrated closures.

4. Existence of Alternatives

Solutions already exist: many manufacturers offer trash bags equipped with biodegradable or compostable ties. These alternatives are not only effective but also beneficial for our environment. Already, thanks to Directive (EU) 2019/904, manufacturers are required to attach caps to plastic bottles.

Adopting these alternatives is a step toward a safer and more sustainable lifestyle for all of us.

Conclusion

Banning plastic ties in trash bags is a crucial action to protect our planet and ensure a healthy future for the coming generations.

Your signature on this petition can urge the European Union to take action on the eve of the European elections. Together, let's raise our voices for positive change.

Sign this petition now and share it widely.

Every signature counts, every action matters – and brings our community closer to a cleaner, safer environment for all of us.

Join us on Facebook on our Facebook Page dedicated to the petition for more sharing with your community.

Click here for a link to the petition in French.

Nota Bene

Although this petition is primarily addressed to:

Mr. Virginijus Sinkevičius, European Commissioner for Environment, Public Health and Food Safety, Oceans and Fisheries at the ENVI Commission of the European Parliament,

I encourage you to go further.

Do not hesitate to contact your representatives in the European Parliament and your national authorities to express your support for this cause.

It's their function: they are there for us.

Together, let's multiply our impact and accelerate change.

Act now, your voice matters!

Mr. Virginijus Sinkevičius (ENVI Commission):

Email: Virginijus.SINKEVICIUS@ec.europa.eu

Address: Rue de la Loi 200 / Wetstraat 200 • 1040 • Brussels / Brussel • Belgium

Phone: +32-229-50270