On Wednesday, Germany said it intends to require plastic manufactures to contribute to the costs of the collection and cleanup costs of single-use plastics.
“Whoever depends on putting single-use plastic onto the market for their business should contribute to the collection and cleanup costs.”
– Steffi Lemke, Environment Minister
The Cabinet approved a law requiring manufacturers of single-use plastic goods to contribute to a central fund run by the government, starting in 2025.
In its first year, the fund is expected to collect an estimated of €450 million, based on the companies’ past production output of single-use plastic.
Affected items include cigarette filters, drink containers and packaging for takeout food.
