Berlin Bans Single-Use Tableware at Open-Air Events
Berlin organizers must now serve all food and drinks at public outdoor events in reusable containers, following an administrative regulation issued by the Berlin Senate under the state’s circular economy law, berliner-zeitung.de reported. The rule applies immediately to street festivals, sports events, markets, and open-air concerts held on public land.
New Rules for Berlin Event Organizers
The updated regulation replaces vague prior guidelines with a strict mandate for reusable cups, deposit tableware, and washable cutlery at all permitted outdoor gatherings. Organizers who utilize public space or receive event approval from the Senate or local districts can no longer rely on single-use plastic cups and containers. To prevent street litter, the mandate requires event planners to set up accessible return stations distributed across the entire venue area rather than single booths. Planners must also integrate pool return systems so visitors can drop off cups at different locations.
Broader Packaging Regulations Across Germany
The Berlin mandate addresses gaps left by previous regulations, as widespread single-use packaging persisted at festivals despite a federal law introduced in January 2023. That federal packaging law requires restaurants, cafes, and bistros to offer a reusable alternative alongside single-use containers for takeaway food and drinks without charging extra for the container itself. Small businesses with five or fewer employees and a sales area under 80 square meters are exempt from stocking their own containers, but they must still fill customer-owned cups and bowls upon request. These measures build on a broader European Union ban enacted in July 2021 that outlawed specific single-use plastic items such as plates, cutlery, straws, and styrofoam containers across member states.
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