EU targets plastic by cutting packaging waste

The EU is targeting coffee pods, hotel toiletries and throwaway water bottles with a set of proposals meaning to save space at landfills and reduce carbondioxide emissions.

The measures, which were due to be released on Wednesday by the European Commission, seek to reduce packaging waste 5% from 2018 levels by the end of this decade, according to a draft seen by Bloomberg News. All packaging items would have to be recyclable, and items such as teabags and apple stickers would have to be compostable.

“If we don’t change current trends, the volume of plastic waste could increase by 46% by 2030,” said EU environment commissioner Virginijus Sinkevicius.

Five percent may seem small, but the amount of waste — and corresponding emissions — is surging as e-commerce becomes more prevalent and companies search for innovative ways to sell their products.

The effort could have knockon effects globally, given that the EU is the largest single market.

“It’s world-leading,” said Piotr Barczak, senior policy officer for circular economy and waste at the European Environmental Bureau, a coalition of citizens’ organisations. “The fastestincreasing stream of waste is packaging waste.”

The rules would have ramifications for industries ranging from food production to consumer electronics to chemical manufacturing. In the EU, about 40% of plastic and half of paper is used in packaging, and the design often makes reuse or recycling difficult.

Certain sectors, such as the beer industry, will face targets for reusing packaging, according to the draft document. That could lead to more similar bottle shapes.

The proposals likely will face some opposition from the packaging industry and its customers, who may have to pay more to set up recycling systems or find alternative materials.

The European Organization for Packaging and the Environment said any mandates must include incentives for investing in the required infrastructure.

Countries would have to set up systems for recycling bottles and cans in which consumers pay extra for the item upfront and then get that money back when the items are returned. The goal is for a 90% collection rate. If states can prove that they have hit that goal through other means, they could be exempted from the new measures.