In response to the damage being done by plastic pollution, the Single-Use Plastics Directive (SUPD) was introduced in July this year.
A report called ‘Unfolding the Single-Use Plastics Directive’ from Zero Waste Europe revealed that more than 25 million tons of plastic waste are generated every year in Europe. Less than 30% of this waste is collected or recycled, and 85% of marine pollution is thought to be plastic waste.
The Single-Use Plastics Directive legislation aims to reduce pollution from plastic products made for single use. But if you’re in the hospitality and leisure sector, how easy is it to make the switch away from single-use plastics?
Will these changes affect you?
Some outright bans will apply for single-use plastic items when non-plastic alternatives are available.
Expanded polystyrene (EPS) food containers and cups will be banned in the European Union from 2021. By 2024, container caps and lids should be designed so they remain attached to their container during its lifetime. This will help to stop caps and lids from ending up as litter.
For the hospitality and leisure sector, this means a shift away from single-use plastic glasses towards something more sustainable.
Why polycarbonate is the answer
Many venues rely on the convenience of single-use plastic items because of their disposability. This includes settings such as holiday parks, caravan camps, leisure clubs and other activity centres.
Polycarbonate glasses represent a viable, sustainable alternative. Polycarbonate is a versatile material that’s temperature resistant, impact resistant, crack and scratch resistant – and virtually unbreakable.
From a practical point of view, polycarbonate glasses are microwave and dishwasher safe. The lifetime of polycarbonate glasses is much longer than that of real glass, making them good value for money.
A safe alternative to glass
There’s now a huge range of polycarbonate glasses available, including wine glasses, champagne glasses, beer glasses, tumblers – in fact, pretty much any type of drinkware and tableware you could want.
Polycarbonate glasses are already commonly used in pub and restaurant gardens as they’re ideal for alfresco dining. But they’re also a practical option for any hospitality and leisure environment.
They look stylish, and, in fact, polycarbonate has a high transparency to visible light, which means it often gives better light transmission than other kinds of glass.
As well as being a highly sustainable material, polycarbonate is also extremely safe and ideal for active areas where broken glass can cause a health and safety issue. Polycarbonate glasses are a safe and user-friendly alternative for children.
Polycarbonate glasses can be stacked, which means they’re simple to store and take up less space than normal glasses. They can also be transported easily without running the risk of breakages.
Would you like to find out more about using polycarbonate glasses in your hospitality or leisure establishment?
Virtually Glass is a specialist supplier of polycarbonate glasses. We supply high-quality polycarbonate glasses from leading manufacturers at competitive prices.
We offer a stylish range of polycarbonate glasses to suit all occasions, including wine glasses, champagne glasses, beer glasses, tumblers and cocktail glasses in different shapes and sizes.
To find out more, call us on 07432 672377 or email:
