EU kicking the plastic habit

Europe's plastic addiction is creating 25 m tonnes of plastic waste every year. Outside the parliament in Strasbourg, activists sought to highlight the pollution problem.

The EU is seeking to ban certain single use plastics, the MEP behind the parliament's report, Frederique Ries, explains that there was a lot of industry lobbying, and while some sectors were ready to adapt, there were others which were not, sometimes for unexpected items.

"There's also very violent reactions in sectors in Germany, the balloon sector for example, and these are reflected in some of the amendments from my colleagues."

MEPs vote Wednesday - and although Ries is confident it will pass, the next step is getting EU countries to agree - and eventually get industry on board, as one activist explains they must "ensure that Coca Cola, and big agroindustrial companies change the way they make their packaging and that we have less waste in the ocean, less waste in nature and to conserve the environment and human health too."