What benefits can this new regulation bring?
- Greater recycling of waste that will promote the circular economy
- It will improve the management of waste and generate greater reuse of valuable material that is embedded in the waste.
- These new standards establish legally binding objectives for the recycling of waste and the reduction of landfills with fixed deadlines.
- These objectives will increase the proportion of municipal waste of waste and packaging that is recycled, with specific objectives for the recycling of the materials used in the containers.
- The rules also include objectives to reduce the amount of municipal waste that is deposited in landfills.
- These objectives will encourage the use of recyclable containers and reusable containers.
- Reduce the EU's dependence on the importation of raw materials by promoting the prudent, efficient and rational use of natural resources.
Objectives for 2025, 2030 and 2035
The member states agreed on the following objectives for the preparation of the reuse and recycling of municipal waste:
- By 2025: 55%
- By 2030: 60%
- For 2035: 65%
Member States must establish, before 1 January 2025, a separate collection for textiles and household hazardous waste. In addition, they must ensure that by December 31, 2023, bio-waste is collected separately or recycled at the source (eg, home composting). This adds to the separate collection that already exists for paper and cardboard, glass, metals and plastic.
Requirements for producers
This package also establishes minimum requirements for all extended producer liability schemes. The producers of products under these schemes must take responsibility for the management of the disposal stage of their products. They must pay a financial contribution for this purpose. In addition, mandatory EU extended producer responsibility plans for all packaging have also been introduced into EU legislation.
The dumping of waste leads to the contamination of surface water, groundwater, soil and air. Therefore, the legislation also contains a specific objective of landfill reduction. Member States shall endeavor to ensure that, from 2030, all waste suitable for recycling or other recovery, particularly municipal waste, is not accepted in a landfill.
The only exception refers to the waste for which the discharge gives the best environmental result. In addition, member states will ensure that by 2035 the amount of municipal waste in landfills is reduced to 10% or less of the total amount of municipal waste generated. In general, Member States believe that these EU-level targets will create the minimum scale for the EU industry to invest in new recycling techniques and technologies.