European plastics industry faces fundamental changes after EU ‘strategy on plastics’ release

The European Commission has launched its ‘strategy on plastics’, setting out an agenda to make all packaging recyclable by 2030, reduce ‘single-use plastics’ and ban microplastics.

Frans Timmermans, the former Dutch diplomat now responsible for sustainable development, said: "If we don't change the way we produce and use plastics, there will be more plastics than fish in our oceans by 2050. We must stop plastics getting into our water, our food, and even our bodies. The only long-term solution is to reduce plastic waste by recycling and reusing more. This is a challenge that citizens, industry and governments must tackle together. With the EU Plastics Strategy we are also driving a new and more circular business model. We need to invest in innovative new technologies that keep our citizens and our environment safe whilst keeping our industry competitive."

The Commission has also pledged to inject €350 million into research on a circular plastics industry.

EU Vice-President and growth commissioner Jyrki Katainen, said: "With our plastic strategy we are laying the foundations for a new circular plastics economy, and driving investment towards it. This will help to reduce plastic litter in land, air and sea while also bringing new opportunities for innovation, competitiveness and high quality jobs. This is a great opportunity for European industry to develop global leadership in new technology and materials. Consumers are empowered to make conscious choices in favour of the environment. This is true win-win."

The Executive Director of PlasticsEurope, Karl H. Foerster, welcomed the new 'strategy': “We, the European plastics manufacturers, are committed to ensure high rates of reuse and recycling with the ambition to reach 60 per cent for plastic packaging by 2030. This will help achieve our goal of 100 per cent reuse, recycling and recovery of all plastics packaging at European level by 2040."

Last week the budget commissioner, Günther Oetlinnger, suggested the plastics industry could be his cash-cow to plug the UK-shaped deficit in the bloc’s books, with a plastics levy to raise €13 billion.

The EU said the plans aim to make recycling profitable for business, with rules on packaging to improve the recyclability of plastics used on the market and increase the demand for recycled plastic content.