In the recent trilogue meeting on the Circular Economy Package (CEP), members of the European Federation of Waste Management and Environmental Services (FEAD), have called on EU institutions to implement an appropriate framework of ‘pull’ measures to complement legally binding targets on recycling and landfill.
FEAD, which represents the private waste and resource management industry across Europe, is looking to ‘close the circle’ of the CEP, and members believe a stronger demand for recycled materials resulting in resilient markets needs to be created.
Due to falling oil prices over the past few years, the price for virgin plastics has dropped, which has resulted in a price gap with recycled materials, leading to the closure of recycling plants and job losses.
Nadine De Greef, FEAD secretary general, suggested a standardised ‘toolbox’ of legal and economic measures are required to make the transition to a circular economy.
In order to move away from the linear economy the industry has been so used to for more than 50 years, the FEAD has made several recommendations on what should be encompassed in the ‘toolbox’, including:
- An optimised collection, sorting and recycling system should be in place to increase the quantity and quality of recycled materials
- Levies should be put on non-recyclable materials
- A minimum recycled content in selected products should become legally binding and part of public tenders
- Eco-labelling rules should be harmonised to incorporate indications of recycled content and recyclability to raise consumers’ awareness
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