We must make certain that the targets are meaningful and enforceable. I have made this clear to the council
Dr Caroline Jackson
Dr Caroline Jackson reported yesterday that, subject to a meeting today and a vote by the European parliament and Council later this month, a consensus was reached between the two sides at an informal meeting on Monday (June 2) on a policy to promote waste prevention, distinguish by-products from waste and to tackle bio-waste.
However, disagreement still remains over the inclusion of recycling targets – which could lead to the negotiations breaking down and the two sides being forced to resort to conciliation later in the year.
MEPS want targets of 50% for household waste and 70% for construction and demolition waste – while the Council is offering targets of just 45% and 65%.
And, while parliament suggests that member states “shall take measures to achieve” the recycling targets, the Council is backing a more tentative approach.
Stricter
Now, Dr Jackson is urging the Council to give its support to the stricter targets ahead of a COREPER meeting today of permanent member state representatives which will pave the way for the second reading of the draft directive at the June 17 and 18 plenary session of the European Parliament, and a vote by the Council – which will ultimately decide whether it becomes law.
Dr Jackson said: “This is a very difficult issue for the Council as some Member States can meet the targets easily while others will struggle. But we must make certain that the targets are meaningful and enforceable. I have made this clear to the council.”
“It is also important for all parties to recognise that we have come a very long way from the Commission draft, which contained no recycling targets.”
She added: “The alternative to the package now on the table is not a better package, but no package at all – a return to the 1975 directive with no targets and with none of the new definitions and clarities which the draft directive seeks to introduce. If we really want to get real on waste management and recycling, this alternative is simply not an option.”
Agreement
Thomas Robertson, Dr Jackson's assistant, told letsrecycle.com that the agreement on waste reduction on Monday meant that, subject to agreement by the COREPER meeting today and European Parliament and Council votes, an article specifically on waste prevention would be created in the WFD, which would include policies to help boost the eco design of products and decouple waste with economic growth.
The European Parliament had been pushing for specific waste prevention targets, but the Council had refused to go that far.
For by-products produced in industrial processes, it was also agreed that a separate definition would be produced to separate them from waste – in order to help free them from waste legislation. This had been originally proposed by the council but removed by MEPs amid concerns that it could cause extra confusion by giving some material hybrid status.
Provisional agreement was also reached on Monday on including a separate article on biowaste, which would require member states to encourage separate collections of biowaste and treatment that fulfilled “high levels” of environmental protection.
This would involve the Commission carrying out an assessment of how biowaste is currently managed, with a view to submitting a proposal for a new law.
The European Parliament has also already agreed to proposals to class efficient waste incinerators as “recovery” plants – in the hope of securing its recycling target proposals (see letsrecycle.com story).
ACR+
Today, the Association of Cities and Regions for Recycling and Sustainable Development (ACR+) – an international network of local authorities and cities- urged MEPs to “stand firm” on recycling and prevention targets because it claimed they were more than achieveable.
According to its research many European cities and regions already achieve recycling rates of between 50-80% – showing that if anything a 50% target could be surpassed. And, it found there was a potential for waste reduction at source of around 15% – making waste stabilisation viable.
The organisation said: “In light of these findings, the stabilization target is truly realistic and, for many cities and regions, should be more ambitious.”
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