Where is the EU going? (2/2)
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Europe is leading the World Plastic Revolution by modifying the life cycle of plastic. Not only with new rules (EU Directives and Regulations), but also promoting a new design, research and product recycling.

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By Paolo Licandro

Up to now the EU has partially regulated the plastic cycle, especially for packaging and waste treatment.

Recently, the European Commission has commissioned studies aimed at identifying the problems arising from a certain use of plastics and all new polymers, in order to lay the foundations for a holistic approach. These projects were entrusted to consultants with an involvement of ECHA, the EU Chemical Agency.

At the end of this survey phase, during which the stakeholders were involved through public consultations, the EU Commission published a Communication on "Plastic in a circular economy".

The European Parliament, co-legislator with the Council of the EU, adopted its own Resolution, which broadly shares the ambitious objectives of the EU Commission. It has already debated this subject several times, both as a co-legislator approving the related EU Directives and Regulations, as a political actor, promoting debates and initiatives.​

EU Commission and EU Parliament are in tune with regard to plastic restrictions: regulating the whole life cycle of plastic and working for setting up a circular economy package with very ambitious objectives. The Waste Directive has recently been changed and new rules for recycling, new bag limits and new rules on biodegradability have been already decided.,

Only the EU Council of Ministers, co-legislator with the EU Parliament, has the potential to curb European ambitions, as it is a direct expression of EU member states.

An EU calendar of the next measures is ready and includes the modification of existing rules and the completion of the plastic cycle with important measures to limit its use and to make almost everything recyclable in a few years.

There is an important opportunity for research. Innovative plastics researches will be fund, as well for new manufacturing or disposal processes.

A big revolution started. 

Manufacturers who want to stay on the market will not only have to comply with the new rules, but will also be able to become actors of the change underway. The European Commission launches continuous public consultations open to all stakeholders and therefore everyone can bring their own observations, ideas and proposals.

Plastics industry it is not just about reaching the new recycling targets for packaging (respectively 50% to 2025 and 55% to 2030) but to abandon the logic of production and linear consumption "take-make-dispose" that destroys in one use 95% of the economic value of the plastic products. And the industry itself will be called to find the most suitable, most promising and economically most interesting technological solutions.

Most companies that have already made known the voluntary measures taken to reduce the impact and quantities of plastic used are well-known brands of multinational companies that have joined the EU call (see the in-depth reports) or the New three-year program Plastics Economy (NPE) of the Ellen McArthur Foundation (EMF) and participated in the drafting of the Action Plan NPE "Catalysing Action" published in 2017.

The urgency of the EU also stems from the desire to prepare rules that are shared by everyone and not decided unilaterally only by a part of the industry.

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