Prague Reduces Single-Use Plastics

Prague City Council approved the summary of measures according to which Prague will minimize the utilization of single-use plastics and will prevent the generation of large amounts of waste. The capital city has thus committed itself to a greater environmental protection in accordance with the relevant European Parliament directive.

“Prague, besides dealing with the current COVID-19 situation, looks onwards at its long-term sustainable goals. The Czech capital, as a sustainable city, comes up now with detailed steps that are more environmentally friendly. The reduction of the single-use plastics is indisputably one of them. Simultaneously, with this decision, we are fulfilling our climate commitment, which was approved by the council last year,” says Petr Hlubuček, Deputy Mayor of Prague for Environment.

In accordance to this resolution, only reusable or returnable dishes will be used at all sport, culture, educative or social events organized by the Prague City Hall, or events under the auspices of Prague.  The waste will be consistently sorted, and its overall amount reduced.

Simultaneously, the City Council approved a resolution last year committing the capital to stop supporting events at which single-use packagings and dishes are used, and all the organisers have to replace one-use cups, plates etc. with reusable ones, if they want to become eligible for any form of the City of Prague support.

The resolution also effects private tenants of shops, restaurants and other establishments leased by the City of Prague or its contributory organizations. Last but not least, the network of public drinking fountains should be extended in the upcoming years within the Prague area, helping to reduce the use of plastic bottles. Newly approved measure will, of course, effect also the operation of the Prague City Hall itself.

Implementing this measures, Prague builds on the previously announced steps and fulfils its goal to introduce the principles of the circular economy into its operation. With this approach, the Czech capital also fulfils the Climate Commitment (available for download here), which was approved in June 2019, and the goals and principles of the Prague Waste Management Plan.

More information about this measure can be found in the Czech language on the official websites of Prague.