European plastics associations unite in their recommendations for Circular Economy Package

Three of Europe’s plastics trade associations and representative bodies have united to outline their recommendations for the Circular Economy Package in order to enhance sustainability within the plastics industry.

In a joint statement, EuPC, PlasticsEurope and PRE called for decision makers to seize the opportunity to build a package that incorporates the whole value chain, giving clear direction for the future of sustainability, recycling and the environment.

The main recommendations include zero plastics to landfill by 2025 and the mandatory separate collection of all packaging from residual waste by 2025.

It acknowledges the “challenging” 55 percent plastic packaging ‘preparing for re-use and recycling’ target by 2025, and calls for the Commission to establish a uniform methodology for the calculation of the targets of preparing for re-use and recycling and the measurement point for recycling performance.

EU-wide quality standards for plastic waste and its treatment should be developed, it says, including specifications for sorted waste, harmonisation of tests methods for recycled plastic materials and certification of plastic recycling operations.

Finally, the recommendations call for the stimulation of innovation in technologies throughout the whole plastics value-chain to increase the potential for recycling.

"This circular economy package is the right way forward for the plastics industry to further enhance sustainability in our way of doing business,” commented Michael Kundel, EuPC President. “It will also guide consumers and public authorities in the same direction. Industry will develop innovative tools and new business models as well as products that will contribute to the new circular economy within the next decades. We will work together to develop quality recyclates to fulfill the future needs in our plastics industry markets."