Position papers
Over the last decades, the European recycling industries have drastically evolved by modernizing and constantly innovating to turn more waste streams into new resources. By doing so, the sector has contributed to the development of new technologies and automated equipment made in Europe and exported around the globe. The European regulatory framework has accompanied these changes thanks to ambitious targets and a meaningful waste hierarchy. However, the recycling sector continues to be subject to a complex and ever-growing EU regulatory framework, which affects its activities. To ensure a competitive European recycling sector, which is part of a global industry, EuRIC advocates clear, effective and smart European policies which:
- Incentivise recycling across the value chains;
- Minimise regulatory burdens on recyclers, in particular on SMEs;
- Guarantee an open and fair competition within Europe and with the world to foster a genuine internal recycling market.
EuRIC also advocates positive measures to ensure a consistent implementation of existing legislation across Europe.
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Position paper – Recast of the POP Regulation ahead of the vote in Plenary: Preserving high quality plastics recycling from WEEE & ELVs in Europe - 13.11.2018
The proposal made in the ENVI Committee to set an unintentional trace contaminant (UTC) of 10 ppm for decaBDE in the Annex I of the POP Regulation, which is 100 times lower than the threshold set by the REACH restriction, will put an end to plastics recycling from WEEE and ELVs in Europe. European plastics recyclers from WEEE and ELVs contribute to remove large quantities of hazardous substances from the material cycles and accelerate their phase out. For this reason, EuRIC urges the European Parliament to support amendment 30 tabled by Mrs. Julie GIRLING, Rapporteur of the ENVI Committee, which is vital to preserve state of the art plastics recycling from WEEE and ELVs in Europe while strengthening environmental standards, in line with the aim of moving towards a more circular economy.
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Joint statement - Coalition Call to Support Binding Recycled Content Targets in Beverage Bottles - 07.11.2018
EuRIC and all the co-signatories of this joint statement urge the Council to support the binding target of at least 35% recycled plastic in beverage bottles by 2025.
RecycledContent.EU - Joint Statement on Mandatory Recycled Content - SUP -
Position paper – Options to address the interface between chemical, product and waste legislation - 29.10.2018
EuRIC welcomes the publication of the Communication and Staff Working Document proposing different options to address the interface between chemical, product and waste legislation. These documents rightly frame the main issues hindering the transition to a circular economy. However, some of the solutions (proposed in the form of options) to those issues are not ambitious enough to foster circular material flows.
Position paper_Options to address the interface between chemical, product and waste legislation -
Press release – Binding recycled content target for plastics in beverage bottles voted by the European Parliament - 25.10.2018
The European Parliament in plenary meeting approved in a landmark vote on 24 October 2018 a target of 35% of mandatory recycled plastic by 2025 in beverage bottles. This binding target is part of the report led by Ms. Frederique RIES, Rapporteur for the ENVI Committee of the European Parliament (ALDE, BE), which amends the Single Use Plastics (SUP) Directive proposed by the European Commission. EuRIC strongly welcomes this landmark vote, which will boost the demand for recycled plastic in single use plastics.
Press release_RecycledContent_ENVICommittee_25.10.2018 -
Press release – Landmark vote by the ENVI Committee of the European Parliament on recycled content targets - 10.10.2018
Members of the ENVI Committee of the European Parliament voted today on the Report amending the Single Use Plastics (SUP) Directive proposed by the European Commission. Led by Ms. Frederique RIES, Rapporteur for the ENVI Committee of the European Parliament (ALDE, BE), the Report set a target of 35% of recycled content in beverage bottles by 2025. EuRIC strongly welcomes this landmark vote and hopes that it be voted for later this month in plenary by all Members of the European Parliament.
Press release EuRIC - Recycled Content_ENVICommittee_10.10.2018 -
Press release – EuRIC supports initiative to save Ecodesign and Energy Labelling Package - 27.09.2018
EuRIC has co-signed a joint letter with more than 50 organizations to urge the European Commission not to delay or minimize the Ecodesign and Energy Labelling Package.
You can find more information about this initiative and download our joint letter here.
Press release_EuRIC supports initiative to save Ecodesign and Energy Labelling Package -
EuRIC Position – ECHA Database on Candidate List substances - 18.09.2018
EuRIC welcomes the initiative to take measures helping recyclers to get information on the substances contained in articles reaching their facilities at end-of-life but also points out some problematic aspects concerning this new legal requirement, such as the lack of retroactivity of the database or the fact that this won't include information on the concentration of SVHCs in the listed articles.
EuRIC Position - ECHA Database on Candidate List substances - 18.09.2018 -
Joint Position on the Recast of the Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) - 05.09.2018
EuRIC together with many other associations share their concerns in a joint paper about the impact of setting a disproportionately low unintentional trace contaminant (UTC) threshold (10 mg/kg) for decaBDE on plastics recycling and its consistency with the objective of moving towards a more circular economy.
Joint position on the Recast of the Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) -
Joint Press Release – Inclusion of Minimum Recycled Content in the SUP Directive Gathers Support - 20.08.2018
EuRIC and FEAD fully support the European Parliament’s draft report issued on 9th July to make it mandatory to produce beverage containers with at least 25% of recycled plastics by 2025.
EuRIC_Inclusion of Minimum Recycled Content in the SUP Directive Gathers Support -
Call to Action – Closing the Circular Economy Loop: A Call for EU Action on Recycled Content Mandates for Plastics - 19.07.2018
EuRIC and the cosignatories of this call to action welcome the commitments introduced in the European Commission's Plastics Strategy but point out the importance of introducing minimum recycled content requirements for selected products and packaging in order to ensure the continued movements of recyclables and provide an economic incentive to increase collection and treatment in Europe.
Closing the Circular Economy Loop_Call for EU Action on Recycled Content Mandates for Plastics