Ecopreneur.eu welcomes EC proposal on waste reduction for single-use plastics
Brussels, 30. May 2018, Ecopreneur is positive about the European Commission’s decisiveness to reduce the amount of plastic waste caused by single-use plastics. The proposal to ban certain single-use plastic products where alternatives are readily available and affordable fits with our advocacy to use regulation to ban the most polluting products from the market. We also welcome the application of producer responsibility and the proposal for clear labeling.
At the same time, much more is needed to reduce plastic waste. Government measures should include price incentives such as extended producer responsibility (EPR), expansion of the Ecodesign Directive to include resource efficiency, ban oxo-degradable plastics and intentionally added microplastics, and deliver free training on circular procurement. To incentivize the consumer to reduce plastic waste, VAT measures should be considered as well (1).
To create new, viable markets for high-quality recycled and renewable plastics, Ecopreneur.eu furthermore urges the Commission to encourage the reduction of complexity as a design strategy: e.g. by using monolayers, fewer types of plastics, and less additives or pigments. We also advocate to incentivize the reuse and recycling of post-consumer plastics, and to address the potential for reducing the use of plastic for all those applications where this is both viable and environmentally beneficial. For more information see our recent position on the EU Plastics Strategy (2). Finally, Ecopreneur does not have a detailed position concerning the banning of each individual plastics product (cotton bud sticks, balloons etc.)
ABOUT ECOPRENEUR.EU
Ecopreneur.eu sets a course toward sustainable economic policies on the European level to support the economic and societal transformation across Europe and beyond. Ecopreneur.eu aims at opening solidified structures and brings sustainable matters to European policy makers. Ecopreneur is a nonprofit non-governmental organization that is quickly growing and now holds six associations from different countries of the European Union. Together they represent more than 4500 green businesses, mostly SMEs.
Contact information
For more information please contact Arthur ten Wolde, circular economy expert for Ecopreneur.eu and MVO Nederland/De Groene Zaak at a.tenwolde@mvonederland.nl, +31 6 1319 6238
