About: Packaging waste Archives

SPECIAL REPORT / Industry leaders united around a call for fair, transparent and universal minimum extended producer responsibility (EPR) requirements in an ongoing review of EU waste management targets, at a Brussels conference last week. 

The European Commission is preparing new policy proposals to reduce waste and reach greater recycling rates, in order to move towards a zero-refuse economy.

Central Europe's relatively low rates of recycling represent an untapped potential with easy gains, said participants at a Steel Packaging Summit in Košice. EURACTIV Slovakia reports.

European responses to waste generation have been fragmented (twelve directives since the 1970s) and inefficient until now. The Commission's proposed Thematic Strategy (21 Dec. 2005) sets up a framework for a holistic review of the existing EU waste policy, based on prevention and recycling.

A long-standing case over Germany's mandatory return scheme for used cans and bottles was dropped by the Commission after changes were introduced in the system to make it compatible with EU internal trade rules.

The Environment Council has emphasised the importance of keeping a clear waste hierarchy that puts the priority on prevention, thereby soothing green NGO fears that it wanted to prioritise incineration for generating energy.

The Commission's proposals on waste are foggy on key definitions that are at the heart of the new strategy focusing on life-cycle thinking, a panel of MEPs, business and NGO experts agreed.

The proposed new waste strategy seeks to cut waste generation and boost recycling and recovery through a new 'life-cycle' approach. But it leaves the thorny issue of recycling and prevention targets to EU states.

EU ministers have rubber-stamped an agreement to postpone the
deadline for packaging waste recycling and recovery schemes in the
ten new EU member states.

The European Court of Justice has ruled the German system of
mandatory return and deposit of drink packages illegal on the basis
that it imposes disproportionate trade restrictions on other EU
producers.

The packaging and packaging waste directive (94/62/EC) was amended in January 2004 by directive 2004/12/EC. The revised directive sets new recovery and recycling targets for a five-year phase. The Conciliation Committee (between Parliament and Council) has reached a compromise on the review of the Packaging Waste Directive - permitting Member States to count incineration for recovery targets.

The Commission's proposed life-cycle approach on prevention and recycling of waste has been given "clear recognition" by the informal environment Council. Decoupling and targets are still a long way off.

The Parliament gave its final blessing to the packaging waste
directive, after the recent approval by Council of the compromise
struck in conciliation committee.

On 26 January, the Council of Ministers formally adopted a decision on monitoring mechanisms for greenhouse gas emissions and a directive on packaging waste.

Mandatory return system should be judged against EU rules on
packaging, not free trade says German Environment Minister

The Conciliation Committee (between Parliament and Council) has
reached a compromise on the review of the Packaging Waste Directive
- permitting Member States to count incineration for recovery
targets.

On 4 November, delegations of the Member States and the Parliament will formally start conciliation talks to clear the way for a final compromise on the review of the packaging waste directive.

According to the Commission, the German deposit and return system for non-refillable drinks packaging restricts imports from foreign producers and is therefore not in line with internal market rules.

On 23 July, the Commission asked Germany to suspend its system of charging a deposit on metal cans to encourage recycling but refrained from taking immediate legal action against Berlin.

On 2 July, MEPs voted in second reading on the draft directive on packaging waste, pushing for the introduction of measures for the prevention of waste. However, MEPs gave their support to the Council's Common position on crucial issues such as the deadlines and targets, which is likely to lead to a faster conciliation process than expected.

On 1 July, MEPs will debate in second reading the draft directive on packaging waste. The main amendments to be discussed concern the prevention of packaging waste, exports of such waste and exemptions to the directive.

After the adoption of a common Council position on 6 March 2003, the draft directive on packaging and packaging waste is starting its second reading in the European Parliament.