EU environment ministers reached an agreement last Monday (18 December) on a proposal for a regulation on packaging and packaging waste.
The proposed regulation aims to tackle the increase in packaging waste generated in the EU, while harmonising the internal market for packaging and boosting the circular economy.
“Poland believes that the goals of the circular economy should be as ambitious as possible and, above all, realistic, measurable, technically feasible and sustainable, i.e. take into account not only environmental but also economic and social aspects. The transition to the Circular Economy requires both taking into account the needs of business and society, as well as appropriate education of society,” said Anita Sowińska, Poland’s Deputy Minister of Climate and Environment.
If adopted, the regulation would establish requirements to ensure that packaging is safe and sustainable, by requiring that all packaging is recyclable and that the presence of substances of concern is minimised. It would also set labelling requirements to improve consumer information.
“190 kg of packaging waste was generated by each European in 2021. And this figure will grow by nearly 20 per cent in 2030, if things stay the same. We cannot let that happen. Today’s general approach gives a strong message that the EU is committed to reducing and preventing packaging waste from all sources,” said Teresa Ribera Rodríguez, Spanish minister for the ecological transition and the demographic challenge. “This regulation is crucial in our path to a circular economy and a climate-neutral Europe.”
In line with the waste hierarchy, ministers agreed on rules to minimise the generation of packaging waste by setting binding re-use targets, restricting certain types of single-use packaging and requiring economic operators to reduce the packaging used to the necessary minimum.