The European Parliament has approved a report proposing to make it mandatory to include of at least 35% recycled content in new plastic bottles by 2025.
Earlier this month, the European Parliament’s Environment Committee voted to amend the European Commission’s Single Use Plastics Directive to include the 35% target (see letsrecycle.com story).
A mandatory target of 35% recycled content in new plastic bottles by 2025 has been approved by European Parliament
Today, during a plenary session MEPs approved the draft plans, which included the figure for mandatory recycled content in plastic bottles.
The decisions will now be referred back to the EU and the Council of Ministers for approval or rejection.
FEAD
FEAD – the body representing waste management companies across Europe – has welcomed the “positive vote”.
And, the organisation said it hopes that recycled content “will be met with an equally favourable outcome at the end of the year,” during the negotiations between the European Parliament and the Council of the European Parliament.
As well as the minimum target of 35% for recycled plastic in beverage bottles, the Single Use Plastics Directive, as amended by the European Parliament, also stipulates a 90% collection target for recycling.
These two measures will go “hand in hand” towards closing the loop for single use plastics and reduce littering, FEAD said. The target for beverage bottles will also be a “key contributor” towards the creation of a steady market for recyclates, and will ensure a more circular use of plastics, FEAD added.
‘Long overdue’
“It is an important first step in the upcoming negotiations between the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union.
Jean-Marc Boursier
FEAD
Welcoming the vote, FEAD’s president, Jean-Marc Boursier said: “It is an important first step in the upcoming negotiations between the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union.
“I am confident that EU negotiators will succeed in deciding by December 2018 on a level of mandatory recycled content, to be transposed into EU law by 2025, which will trigger the uptake of plastic recyclates in beverage bottles. By doing so, the EU will finally experience a circular shift that is long overdue.”
The draft plans approved today by the European Parliament also included a list of plastics to be banned from the EU market from 2021. This included single-use plastic items such as plates, cutlery, straws and cotton buds.
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Source: letsrecycle.com Plastic
