EuRIC strongly welcomes this landmark vote. Over the last decades, European legislation primarily focused on the supply side by setting collection and recycling targets which play a key role in increasing recyclables and recycled materials available on the market. It is time to boost the demand for recycled materials for streams such as plastics, stresses EuRIC.
This is precisely what the target of 35% recycled content in beverage bottles by 2025 does by sending a strong market signal that will steer the demand for recycled plastics, reward its substantial environmental benefits in terms of CO2 and energy savings that market prices consistently fail to reward. Moreover, keeping plastics in the loop will contribute to the reduction of marine litter.
Next steps
The target of 35% recycled content in beverage bottles by 2025 is not set in stone of the European legislation. The Report voted today by the ENVI Committee will have to be voted in plenary by all Members of the European Parliament later this month while the Council is also amending the SUP Directive proposal of the European Commission. Compromises, including on the recycled content target in beverage bottles voted by the ENVI Committee, will have to be reached between the European Parliament and the Council. Nevertheless, with today’s vote, the ENVI Committee has made crystal clear that time has come to set binding recycled content targets for plastics.
