All 27 EU members will be required to reduce packaging waste per capita by 5 per cent by 2030 and 15 per cent by 2040

ELLIE O’BYRNE reports on more of the fantastic projects at this year’s BT Young Scientist awards, which gets underway tomorrow.— including projects on plastic in teabags and another on synchronised swimming.

Germany is banning the sale of single-use plastic straws, cotton buds and food containers, bringing it in line with a European Union directive intended to reduce the amount of plastic waste that pollutes the environment.