Plastics recycling association supports EU strategy on waste

Plastics Recyclers Europe (EuPR), an organization created to represent plastics recyclers in Europe, has applauded a resolution made by the EU Parliament on steps to boost the recycling of plastics in Europe. In a press release, the PRE says that the resolution, adopted by Parliament MEPs will result in an increase in plastics recycling.

On Jan. 14, 2014, members of the European Parliament adopted the European Strategy on plastic waste (Prodi Report on an EU Strategy for plastics waste).

“The voted report is a further step towards market changes that have been pushed by the political representatives of EU citizens. In this report the Members of the European Parliament have perfectly understood the issues limiting plastics recycling.” says Ton Emans, EuPR president.

“Now the European Commission has the support of the Parliament to make ambitious legislative proposals, which will enable an enhanced sustainability for plastics products,” Emans adds.

PRE says it welcomes the report’s findings on the challenges of bio-plastics. While bio-plastics could be an opportunity for plastics products, the report underlines that the sustainability of bio-sourced materials must be evaluated and that an end-of-life solution for bio-degradable plastics must be implemented at EU level if such plastics are to continue to appear on the market.

The organization says that because of changing legislation and markets, the recycling of long-life applications is more challenging than for short-life applications. PRE is eager to support initiatives willing to overcome barriers which currently restrict recycling of these long-life applications.