stay tuned!

National reports and comparative analysis of citizens' consultations are currently being prepared and will be available soon. Meanwhile, let us respond to the citizens' questions to usโ“

๐Ÿ“ฆ๐Ÿงด๐Ÿฅก When will plastic and microplastic sources be banned for use in the food industry (and agriculture, logistics and others where a lot of plastic is used unnecessarily, for example as packaging material…)?

There is a timeline for banning microplastics within the European Union (EU). The key milestone is the Microplastic Ban implemented by the EU on October 17, 2023, under the European REACH legislation. The EU has committed to a 30% reduction in microplastic waste by 2030 in the Zero Pollution Action Plan, so this ban is a step towards achieving that goal. This ban is focused on certain microplastics, specifically targeting loose glitter and microbeads in products. In fact, every synthetic polymer particle smaller than 5 mm that is insoluble and resistant to degradation is considered to be a microplastic. This ban will be rolled out over several years, so in the upcoming years we can expect:

  • 2027: Rinse-off cosmetics will be restricted from containing microplastics;
  • 2028: Fertilizers, detergents and other agricultural products will be affected;
  • 2029: Restrictions will extend to fragrances and leave-on cosmetics;
  • 2031: Plant protection products will be banned from using microplastics;
  • 2035: Additional cosmetic products, including lip and nail products, will also face restrictions.

๐Ÿš—๐Ÿ”‹๐ŸชซCharging a car battery costs the environment more than an internal combustion engine. There is no need to dispose of these batteries yet, but how much will it cost in the future and at what environmental price?

In the future, recycling electric car batteries could be profitable or expensive, depending on factors like transport, labor, and battery
design. Costs may range from losing $21 to making $22 per kilowatt-hour of battery capacity. Batteries that are easier to take apart and contain valuable materials will be the most profitable to recycle. Recycling within the same country can help reduce
environmental damage and keep costs down by avoiding long transportation.

โ›ฝ๏ธ โ˜€๏ธ๐Ÿ”Œ How can e-mobiles be climate-friendly when they are charged with electricity from coal-fired power stations?ย 

According to the International Council on Clean Transportation, Electric vehicles (EVs) can still be considered more climate-friendly than traditional internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles, even if they are charged with electricity from coal-fired power stations, due to the following reasons:ย 

  • Higher efficiency of EVs: even when charged using electricity from coal, EVs emit less COโ‚‚ per kilometre traveled compared to ICE vehicles burning fossil fuels;
  • Transition to cleaner grids: over the time, electricity grids are becoming cleaner as more renewable energy sources (wind, solar, hydro) are integrated;
  • Emissions from coal: even coal-fired electricity often results in fewer emissions per kilometre than using gasoline or diesel due to the higher energy density of electricity.ย 

๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿค๐Ÿ—บ๏ธ What’s the point of the green deal for Europe, what about the rest of the world?

The European Green Deal (EGD) aims to balance economic growth with protecting the environment. It shows how policies can reduce pollution and resource use while boosting the economy. If other countries do not follow, global challenges like climate change and environmental damage will probably worsen. The EGD offers a model for building stronger, greener economies, especially post-COVID-19. However, without international cooperation, its impact is limited. Global partnerships and long-term commitments are essential to ensure the world benefits from sustainable progress.

๐Ÿš—๐Ÿ”‹๐Ÿ”ฅ Safety of electric cars: how safe are they, what are the potential hazards? Is it realistic to catch fire?

The fire risk of electric cars is much lower than conventional internal combustion engine vehicles. According to the Swedish Disaster Management Board (MSB), only 0.004% of electric cars caught fire in 2022, compared to 0.08% of gasoline and diesel cars. This means that cars with internal combustion engines are about 20 times more likely to catch fire.
The biggest risk for electric cars comes from their lithium-ion batteries, which can generate heat if overheated or damaged and cause fires that are difficult to control. However, such incidents are extremely rare, thanks to modern and strict safety measures such as battery cooling and technologies to prevent overheating. In contrast, flammable fuel leaks or engine failures are much more common in internal combustion engine cars.
Overall, electric cars are not only more environmentally friendly but also safer than conventional vehicles in terms of fire safety. Continuous improvements by manufacturers and strict regulations further reduce the likelihood of fires, making electric cars a reliable and safe choice.

๐Ÿš—๐Ÿ”‹๐ŸŒฟ How green are electric cars in fact?

The environmental benefit of electric cars depends primarily on the source of the energy they use. If the electricity is produced by burning fossil fuels such as coal, the carbon dioxide emissions of electric cars are not significantly lower than those of conventional internal combustion engine vehicles. On the other hand, if the energy source is renewable (solar, wind) or low-emission (e.g. nuclear), the operation of electric cars will significantly reduce carbon emissions and pollution. In Hungary, for example, 71.1% of the electricity mix comes from nuclear and renewable sources, making electric vehicles a cleaner alternative.
The energy efficiency of electric cars is also a significant advantage. While conventional cars convert a large part of their fuel into heat and waste it, electric cars use energy much more efficiently, in particular thanks to a regenerative braking system that converts kinetic energy into reusable electricity. This makes electric cars a truly greener alternative, especially when using renewable or low-emission energy sources.

๐Ÿš—๐Ÿ’ฆ๐Ÿซง What technological options are being developed outside petrol, diesel and electric cars? Are there or could there be other options for the future of car transport?

Hydrogen-powered vehicles hold the promise of a sustainable future for transport, as they only emit water vapour during operation. However, these cars are currently expensive and their fuel, hydrogen, is both costly to produce and environmentally challenging. At present, hydrogen is mainly produced from fossil fuels such as natural gas, which produces significant carbon emissions and is a barrier to the widespread uptake of the technology.
The lack of infrastructure is also a major obstacle, as hydrogen refuelling stations are scarce worldwide and require huge investments to build. Although the European Union aims to have at least one hydrogen refuelling station in every major city by 2030, the current rate of progress seems slow. However, the cost of hydrogen production could be reduced if more and more renewable energy sources were used, but this would also require significant technological improvements.
Hydrogen cars represent a promising direction for diversification of the transport sector, especially when used in combination with electric cars. However, their widespread uptake will require concerted industry and government action at the global level, including increasing the production of hydrogen from renewable sources, building infrastructure and reducing costs. If these conditions are met, hydrogen technology can offer a truly sustainable and economically viable alternative for the future.

๐Ÿšฒ๐Ÿ›ด๐Ÿ›ฃ๏ธIs it possible that Slovakia will start building more cycle routes that would actually reduce emissions or is it not realistic?

According to the analysis of The Supreme Audit Office of the Slovak Republic for the year 2022, the topic is relatively difficult to analyze, as it lacks a lot of data. There should be a total of 16,190 km of cycling routes in Slovakia, but only 854 km of them can be classified as cycle transport routes, which we can imagine as normal paved routes, e.g. in cities that people use to travel to work. The number of people who use bicycle transport as a primary mode of transport is essentially negligible. The national strategy for the development of bicycle transport from 2013 aimed for this number of people to be at the level of 9% in 2020, but the reality is around 4.5%. Among all roads, only 1.9% are for cyclists (+pedestrians).ย 

๐Ÿš—๐Ÿ’ถ๐Ÿ“‰Are electric cars planned to become cheaper?

The price of electric cars is decreasing compared to the period 7-8 years ago. This is mainly due to greater competition in this market, together with the expansion of the production of electric cars, even for commonly known brands. The problem is mainly the batteries, which still make up a large part of the total price of the vehicle. Some European countries provide subsidies for the purchase of a car.

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