It is angry about a decision to set recycling targets for each type of packaging material, to replace the simple maximum and minimum for packaging materials as a whole.
A meeting last week in Luxembourg saw support for the new targets come from ministers from all member states except Belgium and the Netherlands.
They set 31 December 2008 as the deadline for member states to take the measures needed to achieve the recycling targets.
Greece, Ireland and Portugal will be allowed a further four years “on account of their specific situation”.
Ministers at the meeting set a maximum target of 80% for the recycling of packaging waste, but no maximum target for recovery.
The minimum targets for the recycling of materials contained in packaging waste are: 60% for paper and board; 60% for glass; 50% for metals; 22,5% for plastics, counting only material that is recycled back into plastics; and 15% for wood.
Ian Dent, chief executive of the Packaging Federation, told letsrecycle.com that he was, “disappointed that the UK representative has not listened to the industry. Brussels should not get into micromanaging the industry in this way”.
He said there should continue to be a simple minimum and maximum target and it should then be left to member states to decide how to reach these.
This is because each state has different levels of usage and of recycling for different materials.
“There is no suitable one size fits all. It is nonsense from a practical perspective. It is counter-productive,” Mr Dent complained.
“Looking at glass, for example, in the UK it will be extremely difficult to meet the target,” he said.
The targets issue will go before the European Parliament in September before any final decision is reached.
Mr Dent blamed pressure from the European Commission's environment directorate for the decision to support detailed targets.
He added: “It is particularly badly timed as new member states are due to join in 2006 and they will have derogations from this.”
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