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The EU member states agreed on uniform measures to reduce packaging waste across Europe on Monday in Brussels. This is according to a statement from the Council of EU Environment Ministers. Quotas will be set for reusable or recyclable packaging. Some single-use plastic packaging is to disappear completely. This includes, for example, small shampoo bottles in hotels or plastic wrapping for fruit and vegetables.
However, the EU countries will be given some leeway for derogations. Furthermore, a reduction in packaging waste of five percent by 2030, ten percent by 2035 and 15 percent by 2040 is required compared to the 2018 level.
Gewessler: Waste prevention and reuse has priority over recycling
Austria’s Environment Minister Leonore Gewessler agreed with the regulation’s text. Too much plastic is being produced in Europe, she explained in the run-up to today’s meeting in Brussels. She believes that waste prevention and reuse are more important than recycling: “It makes more sense to clean a bottle and refill it than to clean it, shred it, process it into granulate, make a new bottle from it, and then refill it.”
Now that the EU member states have reached an agreement, the way is clear for negotiations with the EU Parliament. The latter had defined its position on the packaging regulation a moment ago.
- source: kurier.at/picture: Bild von Stefan Schweihofer auf Pixabay
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