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Representatives from two European trade groups agree the European Union’s Green Deal is intended to prompt more recycling activity. Other proposed EU policies, however, have some recyclers there concerned recycling volumes could head the wrong direction on the continent.
The opening session of the 2022 Paper & Plastic Recycling Conference Europe, held in Rotterdam, featured points of view from a speaker representing the European Waste Management Association (FEAD) and another from the Confederation of European Paper Industries (CEPI). Both Brussels-based organizations contain member companies with sizable presences in the recycling sector.
Unico van Kooten of FEAD member organization the Dutch Waste Management Association referred to widespread recycling as the “low-hanging fruit” in global decarbonization efforts. He said FEAD members largely are “very grateful for the Green Deal,” but said when it comes to some existing EU waste management directives, “I must say the implementation, especially concerning large-scale landfilling, is at [an] unfortunate level.”
While the Netherlands may be a world leader with a 78 percent recycling rate, even recyclers there are met with products or packaging (most often made of plastic or mixed materials) that can be difficult to recycle. “So, we are pushing for policies that are about eco-design and the recyclability of products,” he said of FEAD and his Dutch association.
Beyond the Green Deal, van Kooten said FEAD has been warning the European Parliament that a proposed change to its “waste” shipment policies to soon include a permission process from receiving countries will stifle the collection of some materials. “Paper and metals, I would say, have been international commodities for decades, with good standards in place,” he said of those scrap materials’ misclassification as “waste.”
When it comes to plastic, van Kooten said it was his opinion that “we should try to motivate European stakeholders to collect and treat plastic scrap into flakes. From that point onward, I would consider it a raw material that can be sold across the world.”
Ulrich Leberle, raw materials director at CEPI, said paper for recycling was in high demand, with more of it increasingly staying on the continent of Europe. CEPI figures show in 2017, when the United Kingdom was part of the EU, some 10 million metric tons of recovered paper left the jurisdiction. In 2021, without the U.K., the EU export figure declined to just 2 million metric tons.
Leberle said CEPI continues to strive for higher paper recycling rates, even though the current 76 percent rate makes it the leading continent for scrap paper collection. Through efforts such as its 4Evergreen program, CEPI is investing to keep that rate—and the public’s perception of paper recyclability—at a high level.
“If we want paper to play a role [in the circular economy], we have to make sure it is a sustainable route for the brand owners and for the [household] consumer to go with,” Leberle said. “At the moment they like paper and are happy to see it as an alternative [to plastic], but that needs to be proven to show those benefits.”
Regarding the looming global trade barrier, Leberle said CEPI believes excess collected material needs to be exported. He added, however, “We see more investments in recycling [mill] capacity in Europe. We have to collect more and collect better in Europe so that there is still the possibility to keep [an export market]. In 2017, if you had said there would only be 2 million tons exported in five years, it would have been quite a bet.”
The 2022 Paper & Plastics Recycling Conference Europe event was Nov. 15-16 at the Hilton Rotterdam in the Netherlands.
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