Germany takes the lead in taxing disposable plastic products such as coffee cups

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The city of Tubingen decided to impose a tax on disposable packaging sold in coffee shops and fast food restaurants. The Tubingen City Council has made a corresponding decision before Christmas. According to information released by the municipal authorities, Tubingen is the first city in Germany to take this step.

The city plans to make proposals for a local consumption tax in the coming months. According to Tubingen's plan, disposable food packages such as pizza takeout boxes, noodle boxes or disposable coffee cups in the Tubengen area will be taxed.

"We decided to get to the root of the problem in Tubingen and make garbage more expensive," said Boris Palmer, the mayor of Tubingen and a Green Party. The mayor stressed: "disposable packaging should not be cheaper than reusable items." He said that in 2017 alone, the cost of garbage disposal in the city's public places increased by about 50,000 euros over the previous year.

Pay taxes on retailers

The city government plans to introduce new tax rules in the coming months, with shops, cafes and fast-food restaurants taxing every disposable product it uses.

The city's plan reflects a new trend towards abandoning disposable plastics, which have an impact on garbage accumulation, environmental pollution and climate change. Not long ago, on December 19, the European Union agreed to ban the use of disposable plastic products across the EU from 2021.

Disposable plastic products such as straws, tableware, shopping bags, wipes and beverage bottles account for 50% of marine garbage.

Author: Elizabeth Schumacher