What began as an effort to reduce plastic straw use, the Commission is now targeting Nespresso capsules and single-use plastic bottles in its bid to reduce waste and boost the sustainability of packaging materials.
The regulations aim to reinforce and promote sustainability in packaging, one of the largest sources of non-recycled plastic and paper.
In the EU, around 40% of plastic and 50% of paper is used in packaging, with packaging design often making reuse or recycling difficult.
EU countries and companies should now ensure that containers used for everyday products can be easily recycled or naturally biodegraded.
“A circular packaging economy will help to decouple economic growth from the use of natural resources,” the European Commission document reportedly says.
“Packaging has grown in recent years faster than gross national income, leading to a rapid increase in CO2 and other emissions and overexploitation of natural resources, biodiversity loss and pollution.”
The new rules will affect sectors such as food and chemical production and cover everything from stickers that go on apples to single-use plastic bags.
Companies were previously reportedly going to be instructed to reduce packaging as much as possible, while countries would have had to ensure that 65% of all packaging waste is recycled by the end of 2025.
The reuse targets have now changed significantly, according to EURACTIV, with some dropping by 50 percentage points. According to the new draft, reusable packaging should be used for:
20% of hot and cold beverages by 2030 and 80% by 2040 (down from 30% by 2030 and 95% by 2040 in the previous draft);
10% of takeaway ready-prepared food by 2030 and 40% by 2040 (down from 20% by 2030 and 75% by 2040);
10% of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages (excluding wine and spirits) by 2030 and 25% by 2040 (down from 20% by 2030 and 75% by 2040).
Targets for reusable packaging used in deliveries and for mandatory recycled content in plastic packaging have also been changed.
For instance, e-commerce deliveries will need to have 10% reusable packaging by 2030 and 50% by 2040, down from to 20% and 80% respectively in the previous version.
Some targets remain the same, however. This includes a 90% objective for large household appliances to be delivered in reusable packaging by 2030.
The regulations are scheduled to be approved on Wednesday.
Read also:Luxembourg’s use of lightweight plastic bags halved in one year
Christos Floros covers News and Politics for RTL Today @christosfloros
