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Members of the Parliament (MEPs) have unanimously rejected \u201dwatered down\u201d ambitions for resource efficiency across the continent by 2030. The plenary vote has advocated to reinstate the 70% target for municipal waste recycling, strengthening current proposals by 5%.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, a 2030 target for packaging recycling was voted to be 80% – higher than the 75% previously backed by the Commission. And the waste-to-landfill target has been restricted to 5%, replacing a mandatory target of 10% by 2030. MEPs have also voted for a European Union (EU) food waste reduction target of 30% by 2025 and 50% by 2030, compared to 2014.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Commenting on the vote, Socialists and Democrats (S&D) MEP Simona Bonaf\u00e8 said: \u201cToday, Parliament by a very large majority has showed that it believes in the transition towards a circular economy. We decided to restore the ambitious recycling and landfill targets in line with what the Commission had originally proposed in 2014.<\/p>\n
“Demand for raw materials by the world economy could increase by a further 50% in the next 15 years. In order to reverse this trend, we must adopt a circular development model which keeps materials and their value in circulation, the only solution able to keep together sustainability with economic growth.\u201d<\/p>\n
Today’s proposals also strengthen EU provisions on waste prevention and extended producer responsibility (EPR), increase the use of economic instruments such as incineration taxes and deposit-return schemes, and provide more clarity on the decontamination of hazardous components in waste.<\/p>\n
The Circular Economy Package will only be finalised once both the European Parliament and the Council of Ministers agree on an identical text. Malta, which holds the rotating EU Presidency, has said it will try to reach a deal with MEPs before 1 July, when its six-month Presidential term ends.<\/p>\n
Important milestone<\/strong><\/p>\n Green groups and industry bodies have welcomed today’s revised targets as a \u201cclear signal\u201d that re-use and recycling remain of paramount priority in the pursuit of an EU circular economy. Trade association European Bioplastics (EUBP) insists that the amendments encourage Member States to support bio-based materials for the production of packaging and improve market conditions for such materials.<\/p>\n \u201cThis vote is an important milestone in strengthening the link between the circular economy and the bioeconomy in Europe,\u201d said EUBP chairman Fran\u00e7ois de Bie. \u201cBio-based and recycled materials are starting to be equally recognised as a viable solution to make packaging more sustainable and reduce our dependency on finite fossil resources.\u201d<\/p>\n The plenary also voted for amendments of the Waste Framework Directive which support a definition of recycling that includes organic recycling. If the plans are legislated, a separate collection of bio-waste will be ensured across Europe, facilitated by certified collection tools such as compostable bio-waste bags. In addition, the MEPs have voted to exclude mechanically or organically recyclable waste from landfill.<\/p>\n \u201cThis will provide an important boost to the secondary resource market within the EU,\u201d added de Bie. \u201cBio-based, mechanically or organically recyclable plastics support circular thinking by lowering carbon emissions, helping to reach recycling quotas and keep valuable secondary raw materials and renewable carbon in the loop\u201d.<\/p>\n Step in right direction<\/strong><\/p>\n Today’s vote has also been praised by food waste campaigners, which are now calling for the 50% reduction target to become legally-binding at Member State level rather than a voluntary aim. Campaigners point to UN figures which show that approximately 1.3 billion tonnes of food is wasted in the EU each year, equating to around a third of all food produced for human consumption.<\/p>\n “We\u2019re celebrating this landmark vote to halve EU food waste by 2030, which is a great victory for our campaign and the food waste movement,\u201d This is Rubbish activist Martin Bowman said.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s a massive step in the right direction to see the European Parliament call on the Commission to review whether binding targets are possible by 2020. Now we need to see the Council and Commission match the ambition of the Parliament. We invite people to join our fight by signing our petition, to put pressure on the Council who\u2019ll soon be deciding their position.\u201d<\/p>\n Bowman’s views were echoed by Kierra Box, a food campaigner at Friends of the Earth (FoE), who said: “Yet again, public pressure from across Europe has persuaded MEPs to strengthen action on food waste.\u00a0We welcome the clear signal given by today’s vote that Europe is committed to halving waste from farm-to-fork by 2030.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cBut it is new plans to make this target binding by 2020 that are the real victory here.\u00a0The time for voluntary action has passed.\u00a0The pressure is still on to ensure that this vital target is given the teeth it needs to make a real difference to this needless waste.’<\/p>\n