Lidstaten moeten richtlijn voor recycling verpakkingsafval geïmplementeerd hebben (en)

donderdag 18 augustus 2005

By today, all EU Member States should have transposed into their national legislation an EU Directive setting higher recycling and recovery targets for packaging waste. This type of waste includes packaging made from paper, glass, metals, plastics and wood. The new Directive updates and strengthens an earlier Directive from 1994. It aims to further reduce the negative environmental impacts created by the landfilling and incineration of packaging waste and by the production of virgin materials. So far only Austria, the Czech Republic, Germany, Luxembourg and the United Kingdom have informed the Commission that they have transposed the Directive.

Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas i said: "The new recycling targets are a further step on our way towards a more sustainable society. They strengthen the recycling industry. They also enable consumers to actively participate in recycling schemes and to show their commitment to a more responsible management of packaging waste. I am confident that Member states will do their utmost to implement the new rules swiftly so they can have full effect throughout the EU."

Packaging waste

The new Packaging Directive[1] roughly doubles packaging recycling targets and strengthens the target for recovery[2]. It also clarifies the definition of packaging and allows certain provisions to be implemented by voluntary agreements if they deliver what is legally required. The new targets need to be achieved between 2008 and 2015, depending on the Member State (see table 1 in annex).

Currently, every European citizen is, directly or indirectly, responsible for the creation of close to half a kilogram of packaging waste per day (see table 2). Much of this packaging waste can be recycled. This avoids the environmental impacts related to the production of virgin materials and thus saves resources and avoids emissions to air and water during the production process. At the same time, less packaging waste is sent to final disposal. This does not only avoid further air and water emissions, but also reduces the need to create new landfills and incinerators.

Compared to a scenario of zero recycling, the recycling of packaging saved around 0.6% of total EU greenhouse gas emissions at an additional cost of around € 500 million in 2001 (see table 4). The average cost of reducing a ton of CO2 equivalent through packaging recycling increased from € 12/t in 1997 to € 23/t in 2001. This makes packaging a cost-effective option to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and many other environmental impacts.

Progress in transposition

Although many Member States already achieve the new recycling and recovery targets (and none of the previous 15 Member States missed any of the old targets in 2002 - see table 3), only Austria, the Czech Republic, Germany, Luxembourg and the United Kingdom have so far informed the Commission that they have incorporated into their national laws the new Directive. Once the Member States have sent their legislation to the Commission, it checks it for compliance and can, if necessary, take appropriate further action. The Commission can open infringement procedures against Member States that do not meet transposition deadlines.

Additional information at:

http://europa.eu.int/comm/environment/waste/index.htm

ANNEX

Table 1 : Overview of the new targets


1994 Directive
Amended targets (new Directive)
Deadlines
EU 12: 2001
Greece, Ireland, Portugal: 2005
New Member States: varying transition periods (Accession Treaty)
EU 12: 2008
Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Lithuania, Slovakia, Slovenia: 2010
Greece, Ireland, Portugal:: 2011
Malta: 2013
Poland: 2014
Latvia: 2015
Recovery and incineration at waste incinerators with energy recovery
50-65%
minimum 60%
Recycling
25-45%
55-80%
Material recycling targets
All materials 15%
Glass 60%
Paper 60%
Metals 50%
Plastics 22.5%
Wood 15%

Table 2 : Per capita packaging consumption[3]

[Graphic in PDF & Word format]

Table 3 : Costs of packaging waste management

[Graphic in PDF & Word format]

Table 4 : Compliance with recovery and recycling targets in 2002[4]
Overall recovery and incineration with energy recovery
Overall recycling
Glass
Paper
Metals
Plastics
Old target
50%[5]
25%[6]
15%4
15%4
15%4
15%4
New target
60%
55%
60%
60%
50%
22.5%
Austria
75
66
86
80
67
30
Belgium
91
70
93
78
86
29
Denmark
94
57
90
61
44
16
Finland
61
49
49
61
50
15
France
62
45
52
64
53
15
Germany
78
74
86
88
80
49
Greece
33
33
24
68
10
3
Ireland
35
35
48
35
35
17
Italy
56
51
53
59
54
23
Luxembourg
62
57
83
60
79
28
Netherlands
61
57
79
69
80
16
Portugal
50
36
35
50
53
9
Spain
50
44
36
60
39
20
Sweden
67
65
88
70
68
20
United Kingdom
50
44
34
59
39
19

[1] Directive 2004/12/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 February 2004 amending Directive 94/62/EC on packaging and packaging waste

[2] Recovery mainly means getting energy from waste when it is burned in incinerators that produce energy

[3] The data relate to EU 15 as insufficient information is available for the new Member States.

[4] The data relate to EU 15 as insufficient information is available for the new Member States.

[5] Until 2005 25% for Greece, Ireland and Poland
[6] Until 2005 not applicable for Greece, Ireland and Poland

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