Politics

European waste management organisations and local authorities call for stronger support and investment to implement mandatory systems for the separate collection of household hazardous waste.

ESWET has welcomed the European Commission’s AccelerateEU Plan as a response to energy price volatility and Europe’s continued dependence on fossil fuel imports. The association points in particular to the plan’s focus on district heating, waste heat recovery and domestic clean energy generation, arguing that Waste-to-Energy can contribute across all three areas.

Turning Europe’s circular economy ambitions into reality will depend on making it people-focused — in particular — making sure European Union rules in place work to make it a success for entrepreneurs, business owners, citizens and workers alike, according to two assessments published by the European Environment Agency (EEA).

The European Union has reduced its greenhouse gas emissions by 40% compared with 1990 levels. Between 2023 and 2024, emissions declined by a further 3%, according to data submitted to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and analysed by the European Environment Agency. The greenhouse gas inventory was compiled and reported by the agency on behalf of the EU in April.

The European Commission has published its first report under the Single-Use Plastics Directive (SUPD), based on data from Member States for 2022. The report provides a baseline for assessing progress towards binding SUP collection targets for 2025 and 2030, as well as reductions in the consumption of certain single-use plastic products and the management of fishing gear containing plastic.

Including waste incineration in the EU Emissions Trading System is unlikely to increase landfill volumes in Europe. This is the conclusion of a report by Zero Waste Europe, which analyses the potential EU ETS incineration landfill risk under current regulatory and market conditions.

IFAT Munich 2026 will take place from May 4 to 7, 2026 and will focus on the circular economy as a central topic for environmental technologies. The event will bring together representatives from politics, industry, associations and international institutions to address issues such as resource security, supply chains, climate protection and industrial transformation. Under the guiding theme “Circularity is a must,” the trade fair will connect political objectives with technological approaches and practical applications.

Recent disruptions in aluminium supply through the Strait of Hormuz have impacted the production and logistics of semi-finished aluminium products in countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), including primary aluminium producers in Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Oman.

The Circular Economy for Flexible Packaging initiative (CEFLEX) has acknowledged the publication of the EN18120 series by the European Committee for Standardization. The design for recyclability standards establish a European framework for the development of recyclable flexible plastic packaging and aim to harmonise requirements across markets.

Steel production generates around 8% of global energy-related emissions and approximately 30% of industrial emissions. The term “green steel” generally refers to steel with low or near-zero carbon intensity, although a uniform definition has not been established.

Recycling Europe has commented on the ongoing policy discussions in Brussels regarding the definition of green steel. The organisation calls for a framework based on measurable and verifiable carbon intensity that reflects the role of circularity and the use of recycled metals in steel production. In this context, Recycling Europe raises concerns about the “sliding scale green steel” methodology currently under discussion among stakeholders.