European farmers are not the only ones feeling frustrated about the threat of low-cost, unfair competition that could potentially harm their livelihoods. Europe’s packaging recycling industry is facing a similar challenge. While we are not resorting to extreme measures like burning tires or dumping manure at legislative offices, we share the same concerns as farmers when it comes to European lawmakers seeming to forget who they are supposed to be supporting.
The recycling rates for plastic packaging waste in Europe have historically been around 35%, but progress has been slow in moving beyond easily recyclable clear bottle waste streams. The main issue lies in the fact that outside of Europe, there are no requirements for recycled content, and some countries even prohibit the use of recycled content in their own food and beverage packaging. This results in plastics waste having little to no value in many countries, leading to it being exported to Europe at low costs in the form of recycled polymer.
Negotiations are currently underway for the new Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) in the EU, which aims to establish requirements for recycled content and recycling rates to create a strong market demand. However, there is concern that allowing waste from third-party countries to count towards EU targets would reduce the incentive for Europe to invest in its own recycling infrastructure.
It is crucial that the PPWR prioritizes demand for recycled plastics from waste collected and processed within the EU to support the growth of circular value chains and create local green jobs. Allowing waste from non-EU countries to count towards recycling targets would undermine Europe’s recycling capacity and potentially lead to the closure of existing recycling facilities.
European lawmakers must ensure that policies support regional circularity and only count post-consumer plastic waste from the EU towards recycled content targets. Verification and certification are important tools, but alone they are not enough to achieve the environmental benefits envisioned by the PPWR. The plastics recycling sector is in a critical situation, reflecting a larger issue of competitiveness in the EU industry.
It is essential for the EU to take decisive action to support the plastics recycling industry and establish a circular economy. This will not only benefit the industry but also contribute to achieving sustainability, circularity, and climate neutrality goals. The policies put in place by EU lawmakers must prioritize these objectives to drive positive change in plastic recycling rates.
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