ANP
Marieke Schunselaar
news editor
Marieke Schunselaar
news editor
The levy on disposable plastic items has not yet had the desired effect. There is still as much litter on the street as before July 1, the day the levy came into effect. Politicians hoped that people would go to snack bars with their own reusable containers, for example, but that hardly ever happens.
Since July, consumers have had to pay extra for plastic containers and packaging. Catering entrepreneurs must state that amount separately on the receipt. They determine themselves how high the levy is. The differences are big: some only charge 1 cent for fear of losing customers, while others charge 30 cents for a coffee cup. In addition to this levy, the entrepreneur is obliged to offer a sustainable alternative, or a ‘bring your own‘ option.
Just as much litter
The Dutch throw away about 19 million plastic cups and food packaging every day. “I still come across as many disposable cups as before,” says Dirk Groot, who has been researching litter for years. He collects waste and registers locations, type of raw material and brand. The Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management and various municipalities, among others, use Groots data.
“The only thing that stands out is that more than half of these cups now have cardboard lids, while this used to be all plastic.”
Large also registers many sauce cups. “These are taken by birds and eaten somewhere else. Birds are not that tidy, so they don’t return the trays.”
Consumers are not sure what the idea behind it is, where the money goes and what happens to it.
Associate Professor Hans Risselada
The question is whether the levy will induce consumers to change their behaviour. Hans Risselada of the University of Groningen thinks not. He does a lot of research on consumer behavior. “Firstly, the levy is focused on costs, without a sustainable alternative always being linked to it. The consumer does not always have a choice. In addition, the levy is levied differently everywhere, so it is confusing for the consumer.”
Moreover, not all entrepreneurs comply with the mandatory levy, says the Human Environment and Transport Inspectorate. For example, Cees van der Sloot, fishmonger in Bloemendaal, refuses to raise his prices because he fears that customers will find him too expensive:
“What it costs? A lot of hassle!”
It is therefore not a tax – in which case the money would go to the government – but a levy. This means that the proceeds end up in the wallet of the entrepreneur. They can decide for themselves what they do with the money, although the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management hopes that they will use it to get sustainable alternatives off the ground.
The guidelines of the ministry are as follows: 5 cents for a small package, 25 cents for a cup and 50 cents for a meal package. But in practice it appears that supermarkets in particular charge 1 cent for all types of packaging.
‘Quite complicated’
Industry association Koninklijke Horeca Nederland sees that entrepreneurs are struggling with the new rules. “It’s quite a complicated process,” says a spokesman News hour. “Any new legislation takes time to implement and we must give entrepreneurs that time.” That is why the trade association hopes that the government will not fine entrepreneurs for the time being.
Still, Risselada is hopeful that the levy will work out. It will help if the government determines one fixed amount, and not that entrepreneurs choose a price themselves. He also thinks it would be good if the government communicates its tax policy better through campaign commercials, for example. “Consumers don’t really know what the idea behind it is, where the money goes and what happens to it.”
Good example to follow, emphasizes Risselada. If a few people buy reusable cups, the rest will soon follow. “If people are on the train with that and hang the cup on their bag, this can become the new normal. Then these kinds of changes can happen very quickly.”
More anti-plastic rules
Incidentally, a new measure will follow soon: from 1 January, hotels, cafes and restaurants will no longer be allowed to offer disposable cups or containers with plastic if guests eat inside or on their terrace. Reusable tableware will then become the standard.
Litter researcher Dirk Groot advocates a deposit. After all, that works very well with the cans and bottles. Since the introduction of a deposit for cans and small bottles, these are considerably less on the street among the litter. “And if it is then thrown away, it will soon be cleaned up by others.”
2023-09-07 19:33:03
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