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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EuRIC Position Paper on Chemical Recycling
Chemical recycling (CR) is attracting an increasing attention as solutions to deal with certain types of waste plastics are sought in Europe and beyond. While CR could represent an interesting solution to address plastic waste streams that are not currently recycled, and complement the well-established mechanical recycling industry for tackling issues surrounding the end-of-life disposal of plastics, it is important to raise awareness on the diversity of technologies covered by the term “chemical recycling”, and the limits of those technologies with regards to the objectives of circular economy.
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Press release: EuRIC signs the Circular Plastics Alliance (CPA) Declaration
Today, on 20 September 2019, EuRIC has co-signed the Circular Plastics Alliance (CPA) Declaration during the High-level event organized by the European Commission. For EuRIC, the CPA perfectly embodies the value chain approach needed to achieve the target of at least 10 million tonnes of recycled plastics by 2025. It shall be seen as complementary to the implementation of regulatory measures that pull the demand for recycled plastics and foster eco-design
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ERPA Statement on the critical situation faced by the European paper recycling sector
ERPA, the recovered paper branch of the European Recycling Industries’ Confederation (EuRIC), is concerned about the developments on the global recovered paper market which negatively impacts paper recycling in Europe.
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EuRIC Position Paper on essential requirements for packaging (With recommendations relevant to the modulation of fees paid to EPR Systems)
Manufacturers and retailers of consumer packaging have a crucial part to play towards enabling an efficient materials recycling system operating at the desired future high levels of output and quality. The availability of recycled materials for use back into new packaging needs to increase in order to meet the projected ‘near future’ demands for high-quality recyclates. EuRIC therefore calls for the following key factors to be incorporated as essential requirements for packaging products placed on the market and to serve as a basis for eco-modulation of fees paid by producers to EPR systems.
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EuRIC Statement on issues stemming from the lack of capacity for ultimate residual waste
EuRIC has been informed by multiple recycling operators active in different parts of Europe of strong difficulties in finding outlets for ultimate residual waste treatment and disposal stemming from recycling processes of different industrial and commercial waste as well as of Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) and End-of-Life Vehicles (ELVs). Shredder light fraction (SLF) having a high calorific value and ultimate residual waste resulting from post-treatment techniques used to minimize the amount of residual waste which can no longer be materially recovered are directly affected. In the absence of current treatment or disposal options respectively in incineration with or without waste-to-energy or final disposal for the fractions with high calorific value, some recycling companies have been forced to stop their entire mechanical recycling operations, permanently or temporary.
EuRIC is pleased to highlight some key elements linked to the lack of capacity and obstacles to the acceptance of ultimate residual waste from industrial and commercial waste as well as WEEE and ELV mechanical recycling.
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EuRIC Statement: EU position for implementation of Basel decisions into the OECD
EuRIC, the European Recycling Industries’ Confederation, supports to ensure proper plastic waste treatment all over the world and the amendments concerning plastic waste which were decided at the 14th Conference of the Parties of the Basel Convention.
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Joint Statement on the possible EN 643 revision
FEAD, EuRIC and CEPI are pleased to share a joint statement on the possible EN 643 revision including a possible approach.
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Position paper - Amendments on the Norwegian Proposal to amend Annexes II, VIII and IX of the Basel Convention - 01.04.2019
EuRIC is pleased to share amendments to the proposals made by Norway to amend Annexes II, VIII and IX of the Basel Convention which would impact the classification of plastic waste under the Basel Convention with the declared objective to curb marine litter.
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Position paper - Boosting the circular economy by speeding up waste shipment procedures in the EU - 27.03.2019
The Waste Shipments Regulation (WSR) is a vital piece of legislation. The EU guarantees free movement of goods, services and people. It has strict rules in place to ensure that not only waste shipments are safe and traceable, but also that the waste is properly treated at its final destination. The Regulation unfortunately is implemented by the Member States with largely differing enforcement rules. Consequently, the shipments of wastes for recycling are often hampered resulting in counterproductive results. In order to ensure a smooth functioning of EU waste markets, an update of the Regulation, which guarantees the implementation of harmonized rules and procedures across the EU Member States is vital for the completion of the EU Circular Economy. Particularly the improvement of notification procedures of waste shipments to compliant recycling facilities, producing secondary raw materials, offers huge potential. A first Fast-Track Notification pilot project has been successfully approved within 19 working days and testifies of the benefits of speeding up notification procedures, in line with Article 14 of the Regulation.
Boosting the circular economy by speeding up waste shipment procedures in the EU -
Position paper - Revision of the R-Codes of the Basel Convention - 12 March 2019
EuRIC is very concerned about the recommendations as suggested by the Expert Working Group onthe review of the Annexes for revisions to Annex IV of the Basel Convention. Certain proposals recommended would lead to legal uncertainty and also negatively impact the classification of recycling activities. Annex IV of the Basel Convention in its original form has functioned for thirty years, and still does soin the EU’s Waste Framework Directive of 2018, ensuring its first revision still supports and not harms the European recycling industry is essential.
EuRIC position on the revision of the R-Codes of the Basel Convention