Politics

Zero Waste Europe has proposed new waste reduction measures centred on a revised financing structure for Extended Producer Responsibility within the forthcoming EU Circular Economy Act.

A report by Zero Waste Europe and Reloop examines the introduction of an EU-wide cap-and-trade system for residual municipal waste as an instrument to support compliance with European waste reduction targets. The publication, entitled “Marginalising Waste: A trading scheme to reduce residuals”, outlines a regulatory framework designed to limit the volume of residual municipal waste generated across Member States.

The European Container Glass Federation has called on EU leaders to implement immediate measures to stabilise Europe’s industrial base. Speaking at the European Industry Summit in Antwerp on 11 February 2026, the federation expressed support for the Antwerp Call to Action and urged policymakers to address structural challenges affecting energy-intensive industries, including container glass.

As EU leaders meet on 12 February to discuss competitiveness, several civil society organisations have raised concerns about the direction of current policy discussions. They argue that proposals to revise or streamline climate, environmental and health legislation under the banner of “simplification” risk weakening established regulatory frameworks without addressing structural economic challenges.

The UK’s Extended Producer Responsibility scheme for packaging, introduced in October 2025, is designed to make producers financially and operationally responsible for the packaging they place on the market and its end-of-life management.

European recycling companies support the introduction of a European Preference that places materials produced within the European Union at the centre of industrial and economic policy, while maintaining open and well-functioning markets for recycled materials.

The European Union is facing growing risks in the supply of raw materials necessary for the expansion of renewable energies and the implementation of climate and energy targets. This is the conclusion of a recent report by the European Court of Auditors.

PET is the second most recycled polymer in the European Union. Despite this position, the European PET recycling sector is under increasing pressure. Low market prices and growing stockpiles, driven in part by imports of lower-cost recycled material, are placing significant strain on established recycling facilities in Europe. This development comes at a time when domestic recycling capacity is required to meet existing and upcoming EU circular economy targets.

A recent study identifies methane emissions from landfilled municipal waste in Europe as a significant long-term climate factor that is insufficiently reflected in current policy discussions.

European recycling and waste management associations have called on the European Commission to ensure a smooth and workable implementation of the new EU Waste Shipment Regulation, which entered into force in May 2024 and will largely apply from 21 May 2026.

Representatives from the German government, the European Commission and the Free State of Bavaria will open IFAT Munich 2026, underlining the political and economic relevance of environmental technologies.