The European Commission has published a Communication (strategy) and action plan to develop the circular economy for plastics. Proposed targets include, by 2030, recycling of at least half of waste plastics, all plastic packaging to be reusable or recyclable and multiplication by four of EU plastics recycling capacities.
Objectives include reducing CO2 emissions and dependency on oil for plastics production, reducing plastic waste input to oceans and microplastics and responding to international developments such as China’s recent ban on imports of certain plastic wastes and actions on plastic wastes proposed by the United Nations. The list of actions includes eco-design, improving traceability of chemicals and addressing legacy chemicals in recycled streams, development of standards on plastics recycling and contaminant characterisation, improving waste collection and financial support for investment and innovation.
Communication from the Commission: “A European strategy for plastics in a circular economy” SWD(2018)28 and SWD(2018)16 January 2018 http://ec.europa.eu/environment/circular-economy/pdf/plastics-strategy-swd.pdf and https://publications.europa.eu/en/publication-detail/-/publication/413c5c03-fac7-11e7-b8f5-01aa75ed71a1/ and Annex I “List of future EU measures to implement the strategy” http://ec.europa.eu/environment/circular-economy/pdf/plastics-strategy-annex.pdf