Plates, cutlery, straws: new production parameters from the EU against false disposables

Dishes, cutlery and straws will have to be made with new parameters to curb the phenomenon of fake disposables and thus be reusable. Companies will have time until 2027 to readjust their price lists, moulds and production processes to be in line with European guidelines.

New conditions and criteria are contained in the article 14-bis, inserted in Law 50/2026 converting Decree Law 19/2026 (Dl Pnrr), in force since 21 April. The provision establishes reusability parameters under which plates, cutlery, straws and beverage stirrers do not fall under the ban on themarketing of disposable plastic tableware.

Since the European ban on disposable traditional plastic products, effective as of 3 July 2021 as a result of the (EU) directive 2019/904 (Sup, Single use plastics), tableware labelled as "reusable" but in fact overlapping in weight, shape and price with the banned products has appeared on the market in Italia. The new regulation thus attempts to curb 'false single-use'. The aforementioned Article 14-bis intervenes on this ridge and, "within the framework of the implementation of the 2019 Sup directive", identifies dimensional and quantitative parameters that, if respected, allow to qualify as "reusable" and marketable as such plastic plates, cutlery, straws and drink stirrers. Thus, if they follow these parameters, the indicated products are "suitable for effective multiple uses for the same purposes for which they were designed".

For plastic plates, diameter and weight apply in combination: below 19 cm they must weigh more than 45 g; between 19 and 24 cm they must weigh more than 80 g; above 24 cm the weight to be exceeded is 110 g. For plastic cutlery (forks, knives, spoons, chopsticks), for straws and stirrers only one criterion applies: the weight/length ratio must exceed 0.5 g/cm. For straws, however, an exclusion clause operates in favour of devices falling under the Regulation (EU) 2017/745 on medical devices for the protection of the health sector, where straws meet distinct functional requirements. Compliance with these technical characteristics makes them marketable as reusable.

The new regulations apply from 21 April 2027 (365 days after the entry into force of Law 50/2026) and in compliance with the current regulations on materials and articles intended for food contact (Moca). The transitional period of one year is, however, necessary for companies to start adaptinglists, moulds and production processes as of now, as well as to organise the disposal of non-compliant stocks.