Politics

EU countries lag behind in phasing out single-use plastic bags and curbing plastic pollution, warn Surfrider Foundation Europe (SFE) and Zero Waste Europe (ZWE) on the 9th International Plastic Bag Free Day.

According to the BIR, reports from the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, published on 24 June 2018, highlight that China plans to reduce its imports of solid waste to zero by the end of 2020.

The European Parliament and the Council agreed today on energy-from-waste related provisions that will bring the Renewable Energy Directive more into line with a Circular Economy.

On 12 June 2018, the Bureau of International Recycling and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) signed a Joint Declaration with a view to facilitating a closer cooperation between the two organisations.

A trend towards the “unilateral imposition of regulations” was bemoaned by BIR World President Ranjit Singh Baxi of J&H Sales International during the world recycling organisation’s latest Paper Division meeting, held in Barcelona on May 28.

Environmental legislation is now regularly discussed in every division and committee within BIR, thereby fully validating the decision of the world recycling association to form the International Environment Council (IEC) approaching two decades ago.

The Chinese government’s decision to suspend the issuing of inspection certificates for the month up to June 4 will cost US exporters an estimated US$ 400 million as well as a further US$ 100 million associated with market value and shipment diversions to other destinations such as India and South Korea, the latest BIR Ferrous Division meeting was told by its Interim President Tom Bird of Chiho Environmental Group in China.

Faced with China’s import ban on plastics scrap, processing operations have been moving to South East Asian countries such as Thailand, Malaysia and Vietnam. However, these nations are also sharpening their focus on environmental controls, according to Dr Steve Wong of Fukutomi Co. Ltd and the China Scrap Plastics Association.

Manufacturers should place durable, repairable and recyclable products on the EU market in addition to making them energy efficient.

According to FEAD our industry sees it as another step towards a more circular economy. The private waste and resources management industry plays a key role in making this progress …

EuPC regrets to read that the European Commission has put forward today the proposal for a Directive on the reduction of the impact of certain plastic products on the environment, that mainly targets so-called “single use plastics” and fishing gear, especially in the context of the recent Plastics Strategy Communication.