In a briefing released on June 8, 2023, the European Environment Agency (EEA) assessed the Member States’ prospects for meeting the EU’s targets for increased recycling of municipal and packaging waste. The targets set out by the Waste Framework Directive as part of the European Green Deal are to ensure 55% of municipal waste and 65% of packaging waste are reused or recycled by 2025 (FPF reported and here). Additional recycling targets for specific materials, such as paper and cardboard, glass, aluminum, and plastic packaging are given for 2025, 2030, and 2035.
The report’s key messages highlight that ten Member States are at risk of missing both the municipal and the packaging waste targets in 2025. Furthermore, twelve Member States are at risk of missing at least two of the material-specific recycling targets. It is reported that out of all the packaging materials, plastic packaging is the most challenging waste stream to recycle. The set goal was to have 50% of plastic packaging waste recycled by 2025 – 19 Member States are struggling to fulfill this quota.
On November 30, 2022, the European Commission proposed a revision of EU legislation on packaging and packaging waste (FPF reported and here). In addition to the recycling targets already set, the revision also outlines minimum food packaging reuse and refill targets to achieve by 2023.
Reference
European Environment Agency (June 8, 2023). “Many EU Member States not on track to meet recycling targets for municipal waste and packaging waste.”
