Drastic drop in exports outside EU & performance downgrade of recycling in EU to be expected from new trade rules for plastic waste

Mixed plastic wastes have been moved from the ‘green’ list’ to the regime of the ‘amber list’. Outside or within EU, exports of plastic waste that are not perfectly sorted, recyclable, and uncontaminated will be subject to prior consent from exporting and importing countries as of January 1, 2021.

FEAD’s president, Jean-Marc Boursier reacted to the adoption of the proposal:

“This international decision, of which we understand the motives but question the effectiveness regarding marine pollution, ignores that recycled wastes are traded on a global commodity market. Such a major drop in the exports of EU collected and sorted plastic waste will affect, in the short and in the long term, the existing separate collection and sorting systems and, finally, downgrade the EU’s recycling performances. In the absence of new markets compensating the lost exports, it will prevent new investments and jobs from being created. The private waste management industry is ready to invest in improving the quality of plastic recyclates only if there is a market for recycled plastics. Pull measures such as mandatory recycled content in products, reduced VAT, mandatory green public procurement, can create a demand shock. Imported products should also be covered by these rules. The EU has to urgently adapt its own intra-EU shipment rules so that shipments of non-hazardous plastic waste for recycling or for recovery remain under the current regime.”

Read about the consequences of this new trade rule and what is really needed in EU Waste Shipment Regulation here.

FEAD’s workshop reveals how EU can achieve recycling targets

Early April, a new report by the European Commission warned again that half of the EU countries were at risk of missing the recycling target of 50% by 2020. FEAD’s (European Federation for Private Waste and Resource Management Industry) April 9 brainstorming workshop: From Setting Recycling Targets to Achieving Them revealed how circular economy’s stakeholders think the EU can succeed.

To find out how, take a look at our report and our press release.

Recycling targets set by the European Commission are ambitious but achievable

In an interview with Mr. Jean-Marc Boursier, president of FEAD, and Group Senior Executive VP in charge of Finance and Northern Europe Recycling & Recovery activities at SUEZ, FEAD explores how he thinks recycling targets can be achieved:

Q: Are the recycling targets in the Waste Framework Directive and the Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive too ambitious?

JMB: Of course, they are ambitious as their success depends on many external factors. We hear the word recycling a lot, but I would like to emphasise that “recycling” is not something that exists because we say it does. Recycling exists because there is a market that collects material to be recycled and further reincorporated into new products: the private waste management market... (read more)

FEAD Press Release - April 2018

FEAD welcomes the EP draft own-initiative report on the Plastics Strategy

FEAD members welcome the publication of the draft own-initiative report on a European strategy for plastics in a circular economy by rapporteur MEP Mark Demesmaeker as a step forward for designing a new vision for plastics as part of the transition to a circular economy. In view of the foreseen consideration of the draft report this week in the ENVI committee, FEAD would like to draw the attention of the MEPs to crucial points for the private waste and resource management industry.

A strong demand for recycled plastics will only result from concrete binding actions, accompanied by economic measures to bridge the price gap detrimental to plastics from recyclates.

Find more in our press release, available here. 

FEAD Press Release - April 2018

FEAD welcomes the progress made to pave the way for the transition to a circular economy

Following the adoption by the European Parliament of the final agreement on the Circular Economy Package, FEAD members welcome the progress made to pave the way for the transition to a circular economy.

The private waste and resource management industry welcomes the legally binding targets, as a necessary push towards better collection and sorting of waste.

For more information, please click here.

FEAD Press Release - November 2017

FEAD calls for EU-wide mandatory GPP criteria for plastic products

FEAD members welcome the non-legislative Public Procurement Package : “Increasing the impact of public investment through efficient and professional procurement” and support the Commission’s continued efforts to ensure that the public procurement rules are properly implemented across the internal market. FEAD believes that public procurement, and in particular GPP–green public procurement, is one of the tools that can contribute to the transition from a linear to a circular economy.

For more information, please click here