European politicians beef up recycling target for 2030

MEPs have voted in favour of a 70% recycling and reuse target for 2030.

The European Parliament’s Environment Committee (ENVI) voted yesterday (24 January) on a raft of amendments tabled by MEP Simona Bonafè, after a two-day discussion on the legislative aspects of the package.

This proposal ups the goal proposed by the European Commission (EC) in its Circular Economy Package.

Although a draft package drawn up in July 2014 included a proposal for a 70% recycling and reuse target, the figure was reduced to 65% by the EC when it released its reconfigured package in December 2015.

The European Parliament has always backed the original target, however, having passed a resolution on the target prior to the package’s release and then reiterating its greater ambition with the draft amendments presented last summer.

If the text is approved by MEPs, it will be adopted by the Parliament ahead of negotiations, known as a trilogues, with the European Commission and Council. These will take place later this year, and are expected to lead to a finalised package in the second half of 2017.

As well as increasing the package’s headline recycling target, the amendments agreed by the ENVI committee set a 50% food waste reduction target, and state that at least five per cent of the 70 per cent should be prepared for reuse and that compulsory separate collection should be extended to biowaste, textiles and waste oils. Separate collection of paper, metal, plastic and glass is already mandatory where technically, environmentally and economically practicable (TEEP).