New Waste Law Proposes Radical Changes to EU's Waste Management and Recycling

SEATTLE (Scrap Monster): The EU Member States have approved a new waste policy that sets out ambitious waste management rules and promotes recycling of municipal and packaging waste. The new legislation requires member states to take specific measures to prioritize waste prevention and recycling above landfilling and incineration, in line with EU’s circular economy policy. The adoption of the new rules is expected to make EU region the global leader in waste management and recycling.

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The member states will have to boost reuse and recycling of municipal waste so as to achieve a recycling target of 55% by 2025, 60% by 2030 and 65% by 2035. In addition to existing separate collection for paper and cardboard, glass, metals and plastic, member states are required to set up separate collection for textiles and hazardous waste from households by 1^st January, 2025. Apart from this, bio-waste needs to be collected separately or recycled at source latest by 31 December, 2023.

The legislation also defines specific recycling targets for various packaging. Recycling target for all packaging is fixed at 65% by 2025 and 70% by 2030. The rules set the new recycling targets for aluminum packaging waste at 50% by 2025 and 60% by 2030. The target for plastic packaging is set as 50% and 55% respectively. It aims to recycle 70% of ferrous metals by 2025 and 80% by 2030.

As part of phasing out landfilling, the new legislation states that only 10% or less of the total generated municipal waste must be landfilled by 2035.

Karmenu Vella, Commissioner for Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries noted that the final Council approval of new EU waste rules marks an important moment for the circular economy in Europe. Further, the Commission extended all support to Member States in helping them achieve the ambitious goals.

The rules are part of Circular Economy Package presented in December 2015.