About: waste

Lawmakers back mandatory targets in EU circular economy action plan

Lawmakers in the European Parliament adopted a set of ambitious proposals on the EU’s circular economy action plan on Tuesday (9 February), including calls to introduce mandatory targets to reduce waste.

EU lawmakers call for targets to reduce raw material use

Lawmakers in the European Parliament's environment committee will call for legally-binding targets to reduce raw material use in a report due to be voted on this week.

Environment must be considered in moves to end period poverty

Scotland passed a law to make menstrual products free and end period poverty on Tuesday (24 November), but more needs to be done to discuss the environmental and health impacts of disposable products, according to environmental campaigners.

Waste incineration across Europe and the UK: profit at the expense of climate

The EU and the UK must bring waste incineration plants within the scope of emissions trading schemes (ETS) if they are to achieve net zero-emissions and comply with the Paris Agreement, writes Georgia Elliott-Smith.

Mediterannean is Europe’s most waste-polluted sea, study says

The Mediterranean Sea is the most waste-polluted sea in Europe, according to a 20-year study conducted by the French Research Institute for Exploitation of the Sea (Ifremer). EURACTIV's partner le Journal de l'environnement reports.

French investigation shines light on Amazon mass destruction of goods

The global e-commerce giant Amazon has been hit with claims that it has destroyed up to three million unsold products from French warehouses over the past year. The news comes a week after Amazon became the world's most valuable public company in terms of market value.

Thailand: The rich world’s new dumpsite for e-waste

Thailand has become one of the largest dumpsites for electronic waste from developed countries since China’s January ban on the import of plastic waste. EURACTIV’s partner Le Journal de l’environnement reports.

EU warms to plastic waste ‘recycling’ as transport fuel

A proposal to use non-recyclable plastic waste in the production of transport fuels is picking momentum among EU member states and legislators in the European Parliament, despite warnings from environmentalists.

French councillor pushes Commission to act on food waste

Arash Derambarsh, French councillor for Courbevoie known for his campaigns against food waste, is calling for a European directive on the subject before the May 2019 elections.

Member states give themselves more time to cut emissions

Member states struck a deal with Parliament on cutting emissions by 30% by 2030 from transport, buildings, waste and agriculture sector - but set themselves a later baseline to start counting emissions.

Chinese waste ban ‘wake-up call’ for European recycling

The EU has a trash problem. It used to ship 60% of plastics and 13% of paper collected for recycling to China, but Beijing has decided to curb its appetite for foreign waste. 

Lithuania plans to burn more waste – but does it have enough?

Lithuania plans to build more waste incineration plants, which the government says could lead to reducing energy bills – but politicians and NGOs worry that it would jeopardise recycling targets as not enough waste is being produced.

Southerners back stricter EU waste rules, unlike Nordic countries

A new report published today (16 May) showed that the EU's southern members support stricter EU-wide waste management rules more than Nordic countries.

MEPs bolster EU recycling and landfill targets

Members of the European Parliament’s Environment Committee yesterday (24 January) moved to increase draft EU recycling and landfill targets that had been lowered by the European Commission in its re-tabled Circular Economy Package.

Brexit will cost British businesses ‘billions’ unless Circular Economy Package is replaced

Brexit will cost British businesses billions of euros in lost efficiency savings, unless the government develops strong policies to replace the EU’s Circular Economy Package, researchers warned today (23 January).

Germany wants to scrap EU recycling targets

EXCLUSIVE / Germany, the EU’s most influential country and its leading recycler, has called for recycling targets in the European Commission’s Circular Economy package of green laws to be scrapped.

UK development minister challenged over ‘wasted aid’ claim

The new minister in charge of Britain’s overseas aid budget faced criticism on her first appearance before a Commons committee when she was unable to come up with a figure for the amount of aid that was being “wasted and stolen” – after publicly highlighting it as a significant problem.

Fabien de Castilla: Business waste recycling has enormous potential

Only around ten companies currently collect waste from SMEs in France. New laws oblige businesses to separate their waste paper, but big change will not come without bigger incentives, Fabien de Castilla told EURACTIV’s partner La Tribune.

Commission’s axing of Circular Economy Package ‘stalled’ green policies across EU

EXCLUSIVE / The European Commission was accused last night of stalling national waste and recycling policies across the EU, after it emerged that only two countries have dedicated circular economy strategies.

Air pollution and climate change top French environmental concerns

The French General Commission on Sustainable Development (CGDD) has published its annual study on France’s environmental concerns. Air quality has become a more prominent issue than ever before. EURACTIV's partner Journal de l'Environnement reports.

‘Pay as you throw’ cuts waste and encourages recycling, French report finds

Charging households based on the quantity of waste they produce is both an effective way to cut waste and an increasingly popular idea in France. Our partner Journal de l'Environnement reports.

Putting reuse and repair at heart of the circular economy

Every year, we throw away millions of euros worth of goods that could be repaired or reused. Europe must seize the opportunity offered by the new Circular Economy Package to turn this situation around, argues Michal Len.