letsrecycle.com

European recyclers demand recycled content targets

The European Recycling Industries’ Confederation (EuRIC) has called on “EU decisionmakers” to introduce mandatory targets for recycled materials in new products.

Plastic recycling
The price of virgin polymer is so low it is outweighing the momentum from recycled content generated in recent years (picture: Shutterstock)

Last November, the European Commission approved proposals to revise the EU’s rules on waste shipments and limit exports outside Europe (see letsrecycle.com story).

EuRIC, the Brussels-based European recycling trade association, claims the proposals are “excessive” and will prevent the export of 27 million tonnes of “recycled materials”.

European recyclers do not oppose export prohibitions for “problematic” waste such as mixed plastics outside Europe, EuRIC says. However, it claims “indiscriminate restrictions” will suppress demand for high-value recycled materials such as metals and paper.

In a statement, Emmanuel Katrakis, EuRIC’s secretary general, suggested mandatory targets for recycled materials would help ensure waste was not recycled outside Europe.

He said: “If MEPs want to ensure waste is recycled in Europe, they must enshrine binding targets for the use of recycled materials in intermediate products such as metals, paper, and plastics.

“If export prohibitions go ahead, high-value materials destined for recycling will instead pile up in landfill or end up incinerated.”

“Polluting extracted raw materials will have an advantage over recycling in the absence of appropriate market conditions.”

Market demand

EuRIC claims only 12% of the materials used in EU production come from recycling. The proposed export bans will “reduce this even further,” Euric says.

“Mandatory targets for recycled materials can instead stimulate market demand in the EU, reducing reliance on international markets and thereby stimulating a truly European circular economy that prevents drastic amounts of CO2 emissions,” the trade association said.

Restrictions

Under the EU’s proposals, waste exports to non-OECD countries will be “restricted” and only allowed if third countries are willing to receive certain wastes and able to manage them “sustainably”.

EuRIC claims the “one-size-fits-all approach” to the proposals subject all waste streams to similar export restrictions, without making a distinction between untreated wastes and other materials.

With the UK having left the EU, the regulations do not affect most home nations, though they still apply to Northern Ireland, via the Northern Ireland Protocol arrangements.

Share this article with others

Subscribe for free

Subscribe to receive our newsletters and to leave comments.

Back to top

Subscribe to our newsletter

Get the latest waste and recycling news straight to your inbox.

Subscribe