Karmenu Vella Commissioner for Environment & Maritime Affairs, confirmed during the Plastics Recyclers Europe’s Annual Meeting which took place on 18th & 19th June in Brussels, that the Commission will mainly focus in the new proposal on waste management, higher recycling targets, product design and innovation & research which would stay in line with the goals of the circular economy."We estimate that – not just plastic – but waste prevention, eco-design, re‑use, recycling and similar measures could bring net savings of 600 billion euro, or 8% of the annual turnover for businesses in the EU," said Karmenu Vella.
PRE has released as well during the conference a study: Increased EU Plastics Recycling Targets Environmental, Economic and Social Assessment, which argues that Greenhouse Gas savings of plastic recycling could result in 11.5% less emissions produced by the EU plastics industry by 2025.
Additionally, the study reveals that in order to achieve the recycling target of 60 % for plastic packaging by 2025 as many as 250 new sorting facilities as well as 300 new recycling plants will be needed in Europe if the target is to be implemented. These investments will create more than 120,000 of jobs across the EU.
Ton Emans, PRE President, said: "As much as 74% of plastics waste in Europe is still not managed in a sustainable way, either by landfilling or incinerating it. The revised circular economy package shall focus on changing this situation. PRE is supporting the Commission in its work to close the loop."
During the PRE General Assembly the Board Members as well as the Working Group Chairmen were re-elected for the period of 2 years (2015-2017). Ton Emans (CeDo) was re-elected as the PRE president and the LDPE chairman.
