The EU now has a whole raft of rules, both finalised and pending, geared towards increasing the effectiveness and, perhaps more importantly, profitability of recycling. But beyond the headline targets, how are countries going to stick to the rules?
In this Special Report, EURACTIV takes a closer look at the mechanisms behind recycling, and gives a broader overview of where some member states are succeeding and failing in dealing with their waste packaging.
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Europe’s packaging headache
European Union members will have to recycle at least 70% of packaging by 2030, under new rules brokered earlier this year. But there are complex mechanisms behind the recycling curtain and not all countries are ready yet to keep up with the pace.
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Injecting responsibility into recycling
Collecting and recycling waste is more important than ever, since EU targets ask more and more from member states. But national capitals face a dilemma about how best to recycle more, as two distinct schemes offer two very different solutions.
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Recycling’s powerful waste-fighting arsenal
Two of recycling’s main tools are used to varying degrees across Europe and now the industry and member states are considering how best to leverage them and help create what has been touted as the "internal market for recycling".
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What’s the point of recycling?
It is easy to rank EU member states by how proficient they are at recycling but the details behind the statistics are more complex. Scratch beneath the surface and there is a quasi-philosophical issue lying in wait.
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Deposit-Return Schemes for single-use packaging: an unnecessary evolution?
To prevent littering and foster more recycling, some member states are considering setting mandatory deposit-return schemes (DRS) on single-use beverage packaging. For plastic packaging, there are reasons to believe this could happen. But if a DRS on single-use plastic packaging is introduced, would it also include other materials?