The proposals are aimed at outlawing many commonplace plastic items including single-use plastic bags, cotton buds, cutlery, balloon sticks and drink stirrers. 

The governing body also wants almost all plastic bottles to be collected for recycling by 2025.

The plan will need to be approved by the 28 member states and the European Parliament before it can be passed.

The EU estimates that the ban will help:

  • Avoid 3.4 million tonnes of carbon emissions          
  • Prevent damage to the environment that would cost the equivalent of €22bn (£19.2bn) by 2030
  • Save consumers €6.5bn.

''Plastic waste is undeniably a big issue and Europeans need to act together to tackle this problem," EU First Vice-President Frans Timmermans said.

"Today's proposals will reduce single-use plastics on our supermarket shelves through a range of measures.

"We will ban some of these items and substitute them with cleaner alternatives, so people can still use their favourite products."

The arrangement aims to replace the single use plastics with eco-friendly products. Cotton bags  are very strong candidates for replacing with single-use plastic bags. Additionally canvas bags , non woven bag, pp woven bags are also usable products instead of plastic bags.