This month the European Council and the European Parliament reached an agreement on the Waste Framework Directive revisions. As a result of this new recycling targets have been put in place, which include landfill diversion targets. Whilst the exacts details of these have not yet been announced, it is expected that the current recycling goal of 50% by 2020 will be set much higher for 2025 and 2030.
The talks, which took place in Brussels, were presided over by the Estonian authorities as they hold the presidency of the EU at the moment. Upon reaching the agreement Estonia’s Minister for the Environment of the Republic of Estonia, Siim Kiisler, emphasised the importance of this development stating: “In the EU, nearly a third of municipal waste is landfilled, with a limited share of the total being recycled. With this agreement, EU member states are committing to clear EU targets on reuse, recycling and landfilling and rules to improve the management of different waste streams. This will help accelerate our transition towards a circular economy and minimise our impact on the planet.”
Whilst the deal is in its infancy at this stage, in principal it will consist of: clearer definition of key terms relating to waste and recycling; clear targets regarding waste reduction for 2025, 2030 and 2035 (covering municipal waste, packaging waste recycling and municipal landfill waste); stricter means of progress measurement and enforcement and a set of minimum requirements relating to producer responsibility schemes. All this sends out a clear message that recycling is being taken seriously.
Acumen is a leading provider of Waste Management and Industrial Site Services. We also provide a 24 hours a day, 7 day a week emergency response service. We are based in West Yorkshire and operate throughout the UK. For more information or to discuss your site needs with us please get in touch with one of our team today on 0800 118 2165.
