If necessary, we at bol anticipate legislation. We mainly do this when it’s clear that items in production or use are harmful to the health and/or safety of customers. Within the European Union, there’s a ban on the sale of disposable plastic items, also known as single-use plastic. On the European Commission website, you’ll find an overview of the items that are prohibited from being placed on the market. This prohibition is slowly being expanded, so the list below may not be complete. Therefore, consult the website of the European Commission or the Dutch/Belgian government for the current regulations.
Mandatory SUP-contribution
Since 2023, there’s also a waste contribution (SUP contribution) for so-called point-of-sale packaging. That’s the sale of empty food containers or cups. The person who places these items on the market is obligated to pay the SUP contribution on them. So it’s possible that you also have to pay this SUP contribution. See the Verpact website for the rates and information in the Netherlands. For Belgium, there’s more information on the Fost Plus website.
Illegal items
The following plastic disposable items are legally not allowed and may therefore not be sold:
- Plates, cutlery, stirrers
- Straws
- Cotton buds
- Balloon sticks
- Drink and food packaging made of so-called expanded and extruded polystyrene (EPS and XPS)
- Items made of oxo-degradable plastic (for example, bags and bottles)
Splash plastic
In addition, as a platform, we want to take our responsibility and help combat litter. That’s why we signed the Splash Plastic Covenant on 9 October 2021. Splash plastic is plastic that’s for single use and spreads quickly. For example, if it’s thrown away or literally bursts apart. This means that disposable water balloons and plastic confetti are prohibited via our platform. This policy also includes:
- Gift packages that contain water balloons, plastic confetti or balloon straws
- (Table) confetti, streamers
- Balloons with plastic confetti inside
Microplastics
Microplastics are pieces of plastic smaller than 5 millimetres in size. These particles end up in the environment and accumulate there. They aren’t biodegradable but break down into ever smaller pieces. Microplastics are therefore very polluting for the environment and harmful to the health of humans and animals. Microplastics are present in various items, from cosmetics to synthetic clothing and from plastic bags to bottles. Many of these items end up in the waste.
Glitter
In line with European legislation, the sale of microplastics in the form of loose glitter is prohibited as of 1 May 2024. Examples are:
- Loose glitter, for example, with separately supplied glue for application.
- Plastic granules such as plastic granulate or plastic pellets are a type of microplastics that are often used as a filling for, for example, stuffed toys or cushions.
Glitter that are already glued or part of an item – such as a glitter hat or glitter gel – may still be sold via the bol platform. Therefore, clearly indicate the following for your range:
- What materials the glitter is made of
- How big the individual glitter pieces are
If you use biodegradable glitter, you must be able to proof this by means of a product specification from the supplier and/or proof from the manufacturer.