[RobertoG]

Banning those items, presumably, will create incentives to find alternatives.

If we are lucky, some ecologic friendly alternative that makes economic sense will appear and will extend outside the EU. If we are very lucky, that hypothetical alternative could be extended to other uses of plastics.

The real problem is that plastics are just too convenient. We are just too comfortable to change anything. Applying evolutionary pressure to the economy could generate better solutions.

[bubblewrap]

The reality is that the replacements will use up more energy than the plastic things. For example ceramic cups require more energy for transport, and chemicals for washing up.

How do we know the replacements will use more energy? Because they are more expensive. If they weren't, they would already be used now instead of plastics.