TOP 5 PRIORITIES OF THE RECYCLING INDUSTRY FOR THE PERIOD 2019-2024

By turning waste into secondary raw materials and reducing Europe’s dependency on primary materials, the recycling industry plays a vital role in the circular economy. In addition, recycling saves a substantial amount of CO2 and energy. Recycling is thus a key sector to make Europe the first climate-neutral continent, a key objective of the European Green Deal highlighted by Ursula von der Leyen, the President of the European Commission. Last but not least, recycling is an inclusive industry providing local jobs which rely on a variety of qualifications and cannot be outsourced. Thus, recycling can significantly contribute to Europe’s re-industrialisation by boosting circular value chains. The Circular Economy Package and the Plastics Strategy have paved the way towards more sustainable value chains. Yet, a number of obstacles are hindering recycling activities in Europe and have to be swiftly addressed to unlock the full potential of the transition towards a circular economy and climate-neutrality.

Hence, EuRIC representing the European Recycling Industry, calls for the completion of a competitive internal market for recycling rewarding circular value chains in Europe and beyond, through the following key measures:

1. Reward recycling environmental benefits to pull the demand for recycled materials in new products and level the playing field with primary materials thanks to market & fiscal-based instruments, green public procurement and recycled content targets for dedicated streams;
2. Realize an internal market for recycling through simpler and faster waste shipment procedures, harmonized EU or national end-of-waste criteria for targeted streams, a new status of “secondary raw materials to level the playing field with primary materials, both in terms of regulatory constraints and public perception;
3. Strive for a competitive recycling sector in Europe and globally by strictly enforcing competition in the waste management and recycling sector to forbid reserved markets and cross-subsidization, implementing a pragmatic approach to residual waste treatment and ensuring free and fair access to international commodity markets;
4. Align the interface between waste, product and chemicals to trusted circular flows by phasing out substances of concern at design stage and implementing a risk-based approach taking into consideration the intrinsic specificities of waste as a resource;
5. Making design for circularity the rule rather than the exception through requirements to improve products’ recyclability and recycled content, reward mechanisms such as eco-modulation of EPR fees and eco-labelling to empower consumers’ sustainable choices.