Another European industry association has joined the chorus of groups critical of the European Commission’s new Circular Economy Package (see Plasteurope.com of 07.12.2015). Plastics Recyclers Europe (PRE, Brussels / Belgium; www.plasticsrecyclers.eu) says the document “lacks concrete actions to push plastics recycling across Europe.”

Group director Antonino Furfari pointed out that not only have recycling targets been weakened in the new package, it also no longer foresees a ban on landfill, presents ambiguous recycling calculation methodology, fails to mention waste exports and also does not address the matter of waste sorting and quality. Accusing the “facelifted package” of lacking concrete actions, Furfari said waste management needs clear guidance to perform efficiently. PRE pointed out that nowhere in EU legislation is it defined what exactly “waste sorting” refers to.