On July 30, 2020, the UK government announced details about its plan to adopt a circular economy package (CEP) following its departure from the EU. As reported on by regulatory news provider Chemical Watch, the government approved the EU’s circular economy action plan and related Directives while it was a member of the bloc. However, upon the UK’s departure it has been unclear whether or not the government would implement the agreements. The government has now published a policy statement regarding its plans, and it informed that a formal consultation on the issue is not necessary and will not be carried out. The statement explains that the UK’s CEP includes just “relatively small technical changes and/or the implementing legislation simply adopts the same wording as that of the [EU] Directive.” It affirms “that leaving the EU has not changed our world leading ambitions on the environment, and we have no intention of weakening our current environmental protections after the end of the Transition Period.”
The small changes made by the government compared to relevant EU directives are listed in an annex document. Article 10(5) of the package will require “the removal of hazardous substances, mixtures or components from hazardous waste, before or during recovery . . . if that is necessary to enable preparing for re-use, recycling, or recovery.” The government writes that this is consistent with the previously agreed Directive, but that the country’s implementation of it will place “a stronger obligation on the industry to streamline their production and treatment of hazardous waste.”
Read More
Elaine Burridge (August 5, 2020). “UK to transpose parts of EU circular economy package.” Chemical Watch
Reference
UK Government (July 30, 2020). “Policy paper: Circular Economy Package policy statement.”
