The Balearic law that prohibits single-use plastics enters into force on March 20th 2021!

 

The Minister of Medi Ambient, Miquel Mir, and the CEO of Residus, Sebastià Sansó, visited the new Begudes Puig bottling plant, financed with ‘eco-tax’ funds and which will allow 2 million single-use containers per year.

Below is a translation from the Diario Menorca, published yesterday and I think that it is a great step forward. 

The bulk of the provisions contained in the 2019 Waste Law, which puts a limit to single-use plastics, will enter into force on March 20, Saturday of next week. This will mean the progressive disappearance of a large part of widely used products, such as plastic plates and straws or razors.

The law provides that these prohibitions should have entered into force on January 1, 2021, but the declaration of the first state of alarm and the temporary suspension of the administrative deadlines led the Government to delay the application. "It involves a change of an important draft that begins on Saturday 20", said the general director of Residus, Sebastià Sansó.

In the hotel and restaurant industry, the use of single-use utensils, regardless of the material, for the consumption of food and beverages (plates, cutlery, glasses, straws, etc.) is prohibited, except for napkins and cellulose tablecloths. 

Food products in single-dose format such as sugar or infusion sachets (whether made of plastic or paper) may not be used inside the establishments. However, this part of the law is temporarily suspended while the state of alarm lasts for health reasons. If the food is to go, single-use products may be used, but they must be made of compostable materials. Also, ear cleaning buds and lolly sticks should be made from compostable materials.

Regarding trade and distribution, it is allowed to sell single-use products (plates, straws ...) if they are made of compostable material. The capsules for coffee or infusions should also be compostable or "easily recyclable". 

Wet wipes may not be discharged into the sewer and the package must specify how they are to be handled. Only reusable or refillable printer toners and cartridges may be sold. The lighters, only those that guarantee more than 3,000 ignitions. Single use razors are prohibited.

Informative guides

These are just a part of the limitations that will begin to apply on March 20. The Ministry of the Environment has published three guides –they can be consulted on the website residus.caib.es– that explains in bullet points how the main affected sectors should be acting from that date (restaurants, cafes and hotels; merchants, importers and distributors; and municipalities and public facilities). A fourth specific guide for citizens in general will be published shortly.

On March 20 the changes will begin to be introduced. Initially, the inspectors - who are receiving training for this purpose - "will not fine indiscriminately" but will focus on informing about the new regulations.

Sansó: "There is still some reluctance"

The general director of Residus, Sebastià Sansó, explains that a good part of the affected sectors have collaborated so that the deployment of the anti-waste regulations is successful, as evidenced by the numerous clarifying queries in this regard that the Ministry has received lately. 

However, there is still "a minority bloc that still questions the law and that is more reticent every day." However, the general director recalls that the law was "widely participated" at the time and that a good part of the suggestions and allegations made by those affected were collected. "The laws are to be fulfilled," Sansó observes.

THE KEY POINTS:

Free water in bars and hotels

The law recognizes the right of bar and restaurant customers to ask for a free glass of water (in those municipalities where the water is drinkable) as a complement to the service, in the same way that they can use the lavatory. The catering establishments will be obliged to offer this service.

Less plastic bags

Only reusable plastic bags (which must be made with 50 percent reusable plastic) and "very light" ones, which can only be distributed if they are made of compostable materials, will be allowed in shops. The "light plastic bags", which were the most common, will be completely prohibited.

Recyclable coffee capsules

Single-use coffee capsules or infusions will have to be made of compostable or easily recyclable materials. In addition, its importers and distributors must organize an individual or collective system that certifies to the Government their correct recycling and compliance with the objectives established in the regulations."

TO RECAP:

Single use items such as plates, cups, straws and cutlery in any form are not allowed to be used in the hotel, bar and restaurant sector, however if the food is for take away then these items can be used but only if they are compostable.

Single use items mentioned above may be used in trade and distribution but can only be made from compostable material.

Ear cleaning buds must be made from compostable material.

Lolly sticks must be made from compostable material.

Coffee capsules must be made from compostable or easily recyclable material. (with a collection system in place to collect used ones provided by both the manufacturer and distributor).

Free water in bars and hotels (in those municipalities where the water is drinkable).

Only reusable (which must be made with 50 percent reusable plastic) plastic bags may be used or those made from compostable material.

Wet wipes may not be discharged into the sewer system and the packaging must specify how they are to be disposed of correctly. 

Only reusable or refillable printer toners and cartridges may be sold. (let´s see what Amazon does!)

The lighters, only those that guarantee more than 3,000 ignitions. 

Single use razors are prohibited (say goodbye to Bic Razors!)

Great move forward the Balearic Islands!

The blog song for today is:" Lazing on a Sunday afternoon" by Queen

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Great News! China Announces New Cosmetics Regulations

  I have just received an email from PETA with some great news about animal testing.  Here is the update from them.

This news comes after our determined campaign that ramped up in 2012, when PETA revealed that some formerly cruelty-free companies had quietly started paying the Chinese government to test their products on animals in order to sell them in China. Hundreds of thousands of animals each year have been subjected to tests in which products were forced down their throats, rubbed onto their raw skin, or applied to their sensitive eyes.

After uncovering this, PETA funded training for Chinese scientists in the use of non-animal methods. This work is paying off!

March 8, 2021 update: 

The Chinese government just announced that it has created a new pathway for cruelty-free cosmetics in China. Specifically, as of May 1, it allows companies to market most imported general cosmetics (formerly classified as “non–special use cosmetics”)—like shampoo, body wash, lipstick, lotion, and makeup—without the usually required animal testing.

This is great progress, but it doesn’t mean the end of all tests on animals yet. Companies must take a number of steps and apply for the exemption to the animal testing requirements for imported general cosmetics. Companies that don’t take these steps or don’t qualify for the exemption will still be required to pay for tests on animals for their products. Additionally, companies manufacturing “special cosmetics” (formerly called “special use cosmetics”) are still required to pay for tests on animals. Special cosmetics are those making functional claims, such as “hair dyes, hair perming products, freckle-removing and whitening products, sunscreens, anti-hair loss products and cosmetics claiming new efficacy.” So while the finalization of the animal testing regulations under the Cosmetic Supervision and Regulation is an exciting milestone, animals used in experiments still need our help.

Now, the Chinese government is taking new steps to loosen its requirements for cosmetics tests on animals—specifically, it’s predicted that China will no longer require that imported non–special use cosmetics (like shampoo, body wash, lotion, and makeup) be tested on animals in order to be marketed in the country.

China had already removed the animal-testing requirement for many products manufactured there, enabling brands like Dove and Herbal Essences to be listed with PETA as animal test–free. Now it’s proposed another huge cruelty-free step forward.

Here’s the Nitty Gritty on China’s Potential Cosmetics Regulations

In January 2020, China’s State Council passed a long-awaited final draft of the Cosmetic Supervision and Regulation (CSAR), which replaces the outdated cosmetics regulations. The final publication of the law and text implementing it were delayed because of the COVID-19 pandemic, but on June 29, 2020, the State Council released the final version of the CSAR.

However, the text didn’t call for a ban on animal tests—instead, it instructed another government agency, China’s National Medical Products Administration (NMPA), to formulate specific details for the testing requirements under the law. On July 28, 2020, the NMPA released the draft of those detailed sub-regulations, and they are currently up for analysis and public comment.

It’s expected that, if passed, the forthcoming rules will allow for the sale of many imported cosmetics that won’t have to be tested on animals. If this is the case, we’ll celebrate the progress, as we have with every new measure that has spared animals being poisoned in tests inside Chinese laboratories.

Here’s some background: After PETA learned eight years ago that companies like Estée Lauder and Mary Kay paid the bill for deadly poisoning tests on animals in China, we took action. Realizing that Chinese scientists were unfamiliar and uncomfortable with the many non-animal tests available, we awarded two grants to the Institute for In Vitro Sciences (IIVS) so that its expert scientists could travel to China to offer their expertise and guidance in replacing cruel, unreliable animal tests with non-animal methods. PETA’s grant also allowed the IIVS to create a coalition of cosmetics companies to support its efforts. Since then, the IIVS and its coalition have made great progress.

Does this mean that China will be entirely animal test–free?

While this could mean exciting progress, it doesn’t mean the end of all tests on animals in China yet. Companies manufacturing “special use products” will still be required to pay for such tests. Special use cosmetics are those with functional claims, including but not limited to hair dyes, hair perms, whitening products, sunscreen products, and anti–hair loss products. So while the passing of the CSAR is an exciting milestone, animals used in experiments still need our help.

What does China’s new testing regulation mean for you as a consumer?

We know it can be tricky to figure out which products are manufactured by companies that don’t test on animals, but you can rely on PETA’s Global Beauty Without Bunnies list. Our online searchable database includes more than 5,200 compassionate companies and brands that don’t test on animals anywhere in the world.

Do More to Help Animals Used in Experiments

The best way to persuade companies to stop using animals is to refuse to purchase their products and to write and tell them why you won’t be using their eye shadow, detergent, shampoo, etc.

So I think that this is fantastic news for animals, as I wrote in my previous blogs I have been attempting (with a lot of fun and mishaps) to make my own cleaning products in order to use less plastic and know that when I am doing my clothes washing or cleaning the floor that the waste I am putting into the water system is not doing any harm to the environment. I am very happy with my progress!!

The blog song for today is: " Walking on Sunshine" by Katrina and the Waves

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From policy, to plastic, this year holds a lot in store for Restoring our Earth. Here are five topics to keep a lookout for this year.

Below is an article which I received a link to in my Email from Earthday.org.

1. COP 26

The 26th COP, or the UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties, will be held in Glasgow, UK this November. It will see a gathering of world leaders to convene on the most pressing climate change issues. Most importantly, COP may hold the door open to large-scale cooperation and action on climate change.

COP26 comes at a critical juncture, as it marks six years since the Paris Agreement was adopted by 196 parties. The agreement calls on countries to reduce overall carbon emissions and meet targets that would keep warming to less than two degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. This year’s gathering will ideally see countries ramp up their climate action plans, also known as nationally determined contributions (NDCs), in order to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.

2. CLIMATE LITERACY

Creating a climate literate citizenry holds the key to creating jobs, building a green consumer market and allowing citizens to engage with their governments in a meaningful way to restore our earth. According to a recent paper in PNAS, scientists designated climate education as one of six societal transformations needed to stabilize the earth’s climate by 2050.

As we stand, few countries require climate change to be taught in schools, and even fewer require its inclusion and application across disciplines. That’s why activists worldwide are pushing for compulsory, assessed climate education with a strong civic engagement component.

3. REGENERATIVE AGRICULTURE

Do you know where your food comes from? And perhaps more importantly, do you know how your food is grown?

Industrial farms commonly employ pesticides and synthetic fertilizers to grow and harvest food. Such chemicals and related processes strip the soil of its nutrients, which not only decrease soil organic matter, but also lower resilience to climate change.

On the contrary, regenerative agriculture seeks to boost soil health through practices such as livestock integration, cover crops and no-till agriculture. Regenerative agriculture also captures more carbon from the atmosphere than industrial agriculture, which can help mitigate against climate change. Large food companies are warming up to regenerative agriculture, committing to investments and sustainable efforts across their supply chains.

4. RESTORE OUR SPECIES

Species are undergoing the greatest extinction rate in more than 60 million years. Corals are but one of the many species at risk from climate change. According to a 2021 University of California, Los Angeles-led study, increased ocean acidification and rising ocean temperatures can interact to harm reef-building corals. The continuation of these trends may result in increased coral bleaching, the movement of species to different locations and deaths.

Corals provide a wide-range of ecosystem services for humans and need our protection. Fortunately, top-down restoration efforts alongside grassroots stewardship has the potential to preserve these and many more species.

5. END PLASTIC POLLUTION

Wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) is necessary to curb the spread of Covid. Plastic masks and gloves have become commonplace in our everyday lives. But all this plastic is adding up: of the roughly 52 billion face masks made in 2020, 1.56 billion masks have ended up in our oceans.

Each year, ocean plastic pollution kills about 100,000 marine mammals and turtles, over a million seabirds and even greater numbers of fish and other species. What’s more, it greatly impacts coastal communities and economies, who rely on oceans for their livelihoods. While opting for PPE made from more sustainable materials is not an option for many, there are many other ways to reduce our collective impact.

An Event happening here on Menorca now!

Per La Mar Viva have a terrific exhibition running at the moment in Ciutadella, showing some of the large quantity of plastic waste they have recovered from the sea and beaches around Menorca over the last few years.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It is being held at the gallery "El Roser" in the road opposite the Cathedral in Ciutadella.  The timetable is 10:30-13:00 in the morning and 17:00 -20:00 in the evening, Monday to Saturday, closed on Sunday.

 

It is a very interesting exhibition with some useful information..

The blog song for today is: "Ripples" by Genesis

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We cannot push population growth under the carpet- it is a huge problem.

 A report made in 2019 from:

By Jane Goodall - 29 Apr 2019 14:30:0 GMT

 

 

Panthera tigris altaica; Credit: Shutterstock

We use the tiger (this is a prime Siberian example) to show up our failure to conserve wild species, but while we monopolise all the food that animals require, we could remember that it is not only their conservation we urgently need to cover. It is also our own indulgences.

Dame Jane Goodall is responsible for many primate initiatives, but here she switches to the main primate involved in our current problems – ourselves. The food crises that beleaguer many nations is also obviously close to her argument here, as we consider reducing meat intake. Reducing the people who are doing the eating obviously has an almost equal effect to reducing the intake!

Jane Goodall issued a stark warning on the effects of human population growth on the planet.

Dame Jane criticised the ‘absurdity of unlimited economic development on a planet of finite natural resources’.

In the last 50 years the global population has doubled to 7.8 billion and is expected to increase to 11.2 billion by 2100 according to the UN.

The message was delivered amidst global calls for people to have smaller families to halt the destruction of nature.

Delivering a video message to the Population Matters 2019 conference, in London, Dame Jane said: “The fact that human populations are still growing on this precious planet of ours is something everybody should be aware of.

I would encourage every single conservation organisation, every single government organisation to consider the absurdity of unlimited economic development on a planet of finite natural resources.

“We can’t go on like this. We can’t push human population growth under the carpet.

Dame Jane said that empowering women and girls was key to addressing unsustainable population growth.

She said: “It’s been shown all around the world that as women’s education improves family size tends to drop.”

Population Matters campaigners are calling for action to reduce human population growth by voluntary means to be included in the post-2020 Convention on Biodiversity.

Following an initial set of targets to be met by 2020, governments are now negotiating the next stage of the Convention’s work.

Dame Jane’s message was delivered at Population Matters 2019 where the speakers included: environmentalist Jonathon Porritt; WWF director of science Dr Mark Wright; and Dr Winnie Kiiru of Stop Ivory.

Porritt believes the post-2020 Convention on Biodiversity should incorporate measures to end the crisis of unsustainable human population growth.

Speaking ahead of Population Matters 2019 Jonathon Porritt OBE said: Over the last fifty years, human population has doubled and wild animal populations have halved - undoubtedly, if we'd taken steps to prevent that population explosion then, biodiversity would be in a less perilous state today. 

We can no longer sit passively back, treating one of the fundamental drivers of species loss as something over which we have no control: we can't expect to add billions more humans to the planet and arrest the sixth mass extinction.

Population Matters Director Robin Maynard said: “Grave news about the biodiversity crisis is coming thick and fast, and studies, scientists and conservationists are now increasingly willing to identify human population growth as one of its key drivers.

It’s time for population to assume its proper place in the extinction debate and, most importantly, among its solutions.

 Report from the Conference in 2019:

Population Matters’ public conference in London on 27 April 2019 left attendees feeling enlightened and inspired. Following a successful first conference last year on human population and climate change, this year’s theme was the crucial link between population growth and biodiversity loss. With an incredibly knowledgeable international panel of speakers from diverse backgrounds, it was a fantastic event that highlighted the interconnectedness of environmental and social issues and the urgent need for the conservation community to address this.    

Farming, elephants and educating girls

Philip Lymbery, CEO of Compassion in World Farming, kicked off the presentations by talking about the devastating impact of factory farming on wildlife. Philip pointed out that humanity’s environmental footprint is hugely exacerbated by our unsustainable numbers and food systems: for every one billion additional people, 10 billion more farm animals are reared and slaughtered every year.

Dr Edu Effiom, Director of Biodiversity at Nigeria’s Cross River State Forestry Commission, presented her fascinating research on how Nigeria’s rapid population expansion is increasing demand for bushmeat and endangering key mammal species, in particular primates, which provide criticial ecosystem services such as seed dispersal. Edu emphasised the need to address both consumption and population in conservation efforts and the importance in educating girls to bring down high fertility rates in the Global South.

Next up we had Dr Mark Wright, Director of Science at WWF UK, whose presentation ‘Population Does Matter’ gave a refreshingly holistic overview of the extinction crisis. With WWF International’s Living Planet Report repeatedly shying away from the issue of human population pressure, it was great to see Mark speak about the need to address our numbers as well as our consumption habits. His authoritative and impassioned presentation highlighted the huge global inequality in our consumption of resources and climate change emissions, with people in wealthy countries having disproportionately large environmental footprints and a corresponding responsibility to take action.

“The ‘population’ community and the ’consumption’ community have got to work together.” – Dr Mark Wright, WWF UK

Dr Winnie Kiiru, Senior Technical Adviser at the Elephant Protection Initiative in Kenya, provided some grim statistics on the impact of the ivory trade on African elephant numbers. While the situation for elephants remains grave, she noted significant positive changes in the banning of ivory in many markets, and how other pressures on elephants, including high human population density in a number of their range countries, must now be addressed.

Our Director Robin Maynard rounded off the presentations session by providing a clear overview of the problem, opportunities, and key solutions: education, family planning, women’s empowerment, poverty alleviation and promoting smaller families. He highlighted the current review of the Convention on Biological Diversity and the need to include that kind of positive action to address population in its provisions.

Bella Lack’s moving speech

Our youngest conference speaker, 16-year-old environmental activist Bella Lack, was sadly unable to attend the event in person but we were thrilled to be able to share a recorded speech she sent us. An ambassador for the Born Free Foundation and Jane Goodall Institute, Bella gave an impassioned plea for our planet:

“For my generation, every moment of natural beauty is overshadowed by the grim truth. The grim truth of apathy, of empty commitments, of overconsumption and of decimation.” […] “Our leaders are striving for economic growth, for reputation growth, and for population growth, but they’re missing the point.” – Bella Lack  

Bella’s speech was followed by a panel discussion, expertly chaired by Population Matters Patron Sara Parkin. It was great to see so much willingness to confront the facts about overpopulation and overconsumption and all of our speakers emphasised the need for holistic approaches and urgent action.

Robin concluded the conference by highlighting the progress being made in recognition of the importance of population to biodiversity and the need for future action. He thanked an enthusiastic audience for their engagement.

"Earth is our home. Our mission - indeed our survival - depends on altering our trajectory to live in harmony with the still extraordinary diversity of life it supports, as well as our own."– Robin Maynard

Yet again the fate of our wonderful and only home is in our hands, let´s hope we don´t mess it up like it seems our ancient forefathers did. Yes it is everyone´s right to have children but there are stories of people having families with 21 kids in, come on, what is that all about? and giving tv interviews and appearing in the papers, can they not see what it will do in the future? 

 

I know it is a very touchy subject to talk about but a necessary one nevertheless, if we don´t get it under control then we our world for our grandchildren and their grandchildren will be ruined.  We are the first generation to know what a slippery slope we are on and therefore it is OUR responsibility to do something about it.

The blog song for today is " Never too late" by Elton John from the Lion King

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