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 of the European Recycling Industries’ Confederation (EuRIC) – Recast of the Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) Regulation (EC 850/2004) - 04.07.2018
EuRIC welcomes the proposal of the European Commission to recast the Regulation EC/850/2004 on persistent organic pollutants, in order to update it both to institutional and substantial changes which occurred since its adoption. Consolidation of existing EU law contributes to clarity and legal certainty. However, EuRIC would like to express its deepest concern for the proposal from the European Parliament to set, in Annex I of the EU POP Regulation, a limit regarding the “unintentional trace contaminant” for decaBDE at concentrations “equal to or below 10 mg/kg (0,001 % by weight) [i.e. 10 ppm] when it occurs in substances,mixtures, articles or as constituents of the flame-retarded parts of articles“.
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EuRIC Statement on paper recycling latest developments – Tackling international trade issues to move towards a more circular economy - 28.06.2018
EuRIC, the European Recycling Industries’ Confederation, calls for different measures to tacke international trade issues related to paper recycling to move towards a more circular economy.
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Joint Position FEAD_EuRIC on EC proposal on Single Use Plastics - 22.06.2018
FEAD and EuRIC welcome the publication of the Commission’s proposal related to single-use plastics, aimed at reducing their impact on the environment.
Joint Position FEAD_EuRIC on EC proposal on Single Use Plastics - June 2018 -
EuRIC comments - Low POP content limit value for decaBDE in plastic waste (7 June 2018)
Ahead of the Open-ended working group of the Basel Convention (September 2018), EuRIC - the European Recycling Industry’s Confederation – is pleased to share the following comments on the low POP content limit value for decaBDE in waste.
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Press release: Partner Membership between EuRIC and ETRA (4 June 2018)
EuRIC, the European Recycling Industries’ Confederation, and ETRA, the European Tyre Recycling Association, are pleased to announce their Partner Membership.
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Press release on the adoption of Revised Waste Framework Legislation (23 May 2018)
EuRIC welcomes the adoption of Revised Waste Framework Legislation and calls for proper implementation.
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Position on the Harmonized classification and Labelling for Cobalt Metal
EuRIC, the European Recycling Industries’ Confederation, is substantially concerned by the proposal made by the Netherlands for harmonized classification of Cobalt metal. The proposal as it stands will significantly disrupt the value chain for steel, be it stainless or carbon steel, as well as for specialty alloys and will have a very negative impact on their recycling.
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International Green Deal North Sea Resources Roundabout to work on new case: ‘Fast-Tracks’ for WEEE
EuRIC was proud to attend the first kick-off meeting of this Green Deal aiming to make shimpments of secondary raw materials faster and easier. ‘Fast-Tracks’ is the fifth case for the International Green Deal North Sea Resources Roundabout (NSRR) - after compost, PVC and non-ferrous metals from bottom ash and struvite. The case, initiated by Müller-Guttenbrunn GmbH and HKS Metals deals with the concept of ‘Fast-Tracks’ for WEEE: making shipments to compliant EU WEEE recyclers easier and faster. Article 14 of the European Waste Shipment Regulation provides ample basis for the concept of ‘Fast-Track Notification’, but implementation can be improved. For this case Flemish, French, UK and Dutch public and private sector experts are joined by Austrian colleagues to explore possibilities for commonly accepted criteria for pre-consents and mutual accepted processes, amongst other things. The Commission (DGENV) is following the case as an observer.
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Stakeholder Consultation - Chemicals, Products and Waste Interface
EuRIC welcomes this Stakeholder Consultation Paper, which identifies correctly most of the problems linked to the current legislative framework that currently hinders recycling. This is all the more crucial as recycling enables the circular economy by turning waste into new raw materials and re-introduces them in the loop and while saving both energy and CO2 emissions. In addition, recycling is carried by companies, many of them SMEs, providing an unmatched infrastructure throughout Europe. Improving the interface between waste and chemicals laws is instrumental to foster a more circular economy.
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Strategy on plastics in a Circular Economy - EuRIC position
EuRIC welcomes the introduction of the roadmap laying down the European Commission’s “Strategy on plastics in a circular economy” (‘the communication’). As outlined in ‘the communication’, plastics is an important material for the economy, and the next great challenge will be to decouple its production from fossil feedstocks. To achieve such an objective, plastic recycling is the only solution, but it faces a number of obstacles that different policy actions must alleviate.