Background:
Why Non-Legislative Actions Matter?
In addressing environmental challenges, legislative actions play a crucial role, but non-legislative strategies are equally important. These initiatives, which include strategic frameworks and long-term visions, complement legislation by providing actionable paths toward sustainability. In the European Union (EU), such initiatives have been instrumental in addressing issues like packaging production and waste management, helping create a circular economy. Non-legislative actions bring flexibility, encourage innovation, and engage multiple stakeholders in the fight against climate change, showcasing the vital role of proper waste management in minimizing environmental damage and fostering a sustainable future. The following policies are some of the key non-legislative documents in the EU packaging sector.
The European Green Deal
Core Goals
The European Green Deal, launched in March 2020, represents the EU’s growth strategy aimed at transforming Europe into a modern, resource-efficient economy. Its overarching goal is to decouple economic growth from resource consumption, making Europe climate-neutral by 2050. The Green Deal strives to build a fair and prosperous society where environmental sustainability goes hand-in-hand with economic competitiveness.
Packaging Waste Under the Green Deal
Packaging waste is a significant focus under the European Green Deal, particularly due to its environmental impact. One of the key strategies within the Green Deal is the "Farm to Fork" initiative, which emphasizes reducing food packaging waste in the food production and retail sectors. The EU, as the largest global food importer and exporter, aims to build a more sustainable food system by decreasing both food and packaging waste while revising food safety regulations that often contribute to overpackaging.
Specific Measures
Several specific measures have been proposed to address packaging waste. The promotion of innovative packaging solutions, such as Equilibrium Modified Atmosphere Packaging (EMAP), is one such measure aimed at reducing food waste by extending shelf life without refrigeration. However, educating consumers on the correct use of such packaging is vital for fully realizing its environmental benefits.
In addition to technical innovations, the Green Deal has introduced financial incentives for Member States to manage plastic packaging waste more efficiently. Since January 2021, countries are required to make annual contributions to the EU budget based on their non-recycled plastic packaging waste. This measure aims to decrease single-use plastics and promote improved waste management.
Furthermore, the Green Deal identifies the private sector as a crucial player in financing the green transition. It encourages businesses to integrate sustainability into their corporate governance and requires companies to disclose the environmental impact of their activities, including efforts to reduce plastic packaging. This transparency aims to foster long-term investments in sustainability and encourage companies to take meaningful steps in reducing packaging waste.
The Circular Economy Action Plan (CEAP 2020)
The Circular Economy Action Plan (CEAP 2020) is a key strategy by the European Union (EU) to shift towards a sustainable economy. As global consumption of materials like fossil fuels and metals is expected to double in the next few decades, the CEAP aims to decouple economic growth from resource use, reducing environmental harm and moving towards climate neutrality by 2050. This plan addresses the entire lifecycle of products, aiming to reduce waste, increase recycling, and promote sustainable consumption.
Waste Prevention and Circularity
One of the most crucial aspects of the circular economy is waste prevention. CEAP sets ambitious goals to reduce overall waste generation and halve residual municipal waste by 2030. It emphasizes the need for efficient waste management practices, highlighting that poor sorting systems lower recycling quality. The plan promotes improved separate waste collection to ensure higher recycling rates. In some EU countries, citizens are required to sort waste into several categories, while in others, simpler systems are in place. Each method has its advantages, but the ultimate goal is to reduce dependency on virgin materials and enhance recycling practices.
Specific Targets for Packaging
Packaging plays a significant role in waste production, and the CEAP seeks to ensure that by 2030, all packaging is reusable or recyclable in an economically feasible manner. This includes revising existing regulations, such as the Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive (PPWD), to reduce overpackaging and simplify packaging materials to improve recyclability. The Sustainable Product Policy Initiative also aims to promote the use of alternative reusable products, reducing the need for new packaging.
Additionally, the CEAP introduces quotas for recycled content in packaging, encouraging the use of secondary materials to lower greenhouse gas emissions. For instance, recycled aluminum and PET significantly reduce carbon emissions compared to using virgin materials. However, challenges remain, such as price fluctuations and regulatory barriers that limit the use of recycled materials in certain industries, like food packaging. Addressing these obstacles is critical for the successful implementation of the CEAP.
Key Strategies
To overcome these challenges, the CEAP proposes both financial and non-financial strategies. Financially, subsidies for recycled materials, taxes on virgin materials, and investments in waste processing improvements can incentivize the use of secondary materials. Non-financial strategies include involving the public in waste policy discussions, setting minimum requirements for recycled content, and providing detailed guidelines to packaging manufacturers on designing for recyclability. Clearer guidelines on preferred materials, colors, and designs would facilitate recycling processes and increase the use of recycled content in packaging.
By fostering these initiatives, the CEAP seeks to reduce environmental impact while creating economic opportunities, aiming for a more sustainable, resource-efficient future for the EU.
EU’s Vision and Strategy on Plastic Packaging
Plastic packaging plays a critical role in our everyday lives by contributing to food safety and preservation, yet it also creates significant environmental challenges due to the persistence of plastic waste. Europe, as the third-largest plastic producer globally, has seen growing plastic waste from the packaging sector, leading to a need for stronger policies at both the EU and national levels. In 2018, plastic demand in the EU reached 49.1 million tonnes, with 40.5% used for packaging. Although plastic recycling rates are improving, significant amounts of plastic waste are still incinerated or sent to landfills, highlighting the need for continued efforts in waste management and recycling.
European Plastics Strategy
The European Commission launched the European Plastics Strategy in 2018 to address these challenges and transition toward a circular economy. This strategy emphasizes sustainable product design, promoting recyclable and recycled plastics, and enhancing Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) schemes. Packaging, which accounts for the largest share of plastic demand, is a primary focus of the strategy. By improving packaging design, it is estimated that recycling costs could be reduced by up to 50%, making plastic waste management more efficient.
A key measure within the Plastics Strategy is the EPR scheme, which has successfully enforced the waste hierarchy, supported plastic collection and recycling, and encouraged the use of recycled content in new packaging. For instance, single-use plastic beverage bottles must now be designed with caps that remain attached to the bottle, reducing the risk of environmental litter.
Challenges
Despite progress, challenges remain, with only 30% of plastic waste being recycled and 40% incinerated. A lack of harmonization in EPR schemes across Europe, leading to inconsistent recycling practices and costs, contributes to this issue. To address this, the European Commission also launched a Pledging Campaign in which companies voluntarily commit to using more recycled plastics. By 2025, the goal is to reuse 10 million tonnes of recycled plastics in the European market, with industry leaders like Coca-Cola committing to significant sustainability targets.
Conclusion: The Global Impact of Non-Legislative Actions
Non-legislative actions, such as the European Plastics Strategy, have a profound global impact by setting voluntary goals and encouraging industries to innovate. These actions complement legislative measures, creating a collaborative approach that helps mitigate environmental damage. By promoting recycling, sustainable design, and responsible waste management, the EU's initiatives serve as a model for other regions, demonstrating that a greener economy is both achievable and beneficial for businesses, consumers, and the environment. The success of these non-legislative actions underscores their critical role in addressing the global challenge of plastic waste.
About the Waste-to-Resource Project
“Waste to Resource: Upgrading the Value Chain of Packaging Waste Through Improving Collection and Recycling in China” project is commissioned by the German Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) develoPPP.de Programme, is implemented by GIZ in cooperation with Henkel AG & Co KGaA, Tetra Pak (Kunshan) Co., Ltd., Tomra System ASA, UPM Raflatac Oy, and Nongfu Spring Co., Ltd. The project aims to increase the recycling rate of packaging waste in China by promoting an advanced waste segregation and collection system and to upgrade the value chain of packaging waste (plastic and carton) by exploring different recycling approaches。
