The plastics value chain has agreed on common demands for the Circular Economy Package, said the EuPC, PlasticsEurope and PRE in a joint statement calling for a truly European Circular Economy for plastics.
Among the recommendations is zero plastics to landfill by 2025, which the organisations say will ensure that plastics waste can be used as a resource and not end up in the environment.
“The 55 per cent plastics packaging ‘preparing for re-use and recycling’ target by 2025 is challenging. We are willing to continue to play our part and call the other relevant stakeholders to act too and we call for the mandatory separate collection of all packaging from residual waste by 2025,” said the organisations in a press statement. “The Commission shall establish a uniform methodology for the calculation of the targets of ‘preparing for re-use and recycling’ and the measurement point for recycling performance. Uniformity will set a level-playing-field for all actors on the market and enable an accurate overview of Member States’ performance as well as meaningful comparisons.”
EU-wide quality standards for plastics waste and its treatment should be developed, including specifications for sorted waste, harmonisation of test methods for recycled plastics materials and certification of plastics recycling operations, continues the statement.
Michael Kundel, EuPC president, added: “This circular economy package is the right way forward for the plastics industry to further enhance sustainability in our way of doing business. It will also guide consumers and public authorities in the same direction. Industry will develop innovative tools and new business models as well as products that will contribute to the new circular economy within the next decades. We will work together to develop quality recyclates to fulfill the future needs in our plastics industry markets.”
Patrick Thomas, president of PlasticsEurope, said: “The Commission’s circular economy package is an opportunity to achieve a more resource efficient Europe. For the circular economy to deliver long-term and sustainable environmental benefits, it is essential that the whole life cycle of products is taken into account from the perspective of a low-carbon economy. Our industry is committed to a sustainable future within a low-carbon economy and the plastics value-chain will continue to work together towards this common goal.”
And adding his views, Ton Emans, president of PRE, said: “Recycling will play a growing role in plastics. The current legislative push is going in the right direction and this join industry position translates this trend. In addition to these common position further work must be achieved in terms of design for recycling, controls of waste export and pull mechanisms.”
The European plastics industry is an integral part of the manufacturing in Europe with more than 62,000 companies providing more than 1.4 million jobs and annually contributing €26 billion (US$29bn) to public finances.
Source: plasticsinpackaging.com
