Joint statement calling for a transparent and reliable policy framework defining recycling content in plastic

Civil society organisations and responsible companies operating in relevant sectors wrote to the European Commission to urge for the prioritisation of robust and transparent chain of custody models for calculating recycled content in the European Commission’s implementing decision that establishes rules for the application of Directive (EU) 2019/904. This has been done in the belief that it is necessary to rectify the decision in order to ensure the highest quality and transparency in the determination of recycled content.

Available in English

Joint letter on the need to include bio-waste targets in the Waste Framework Directive

The mandatory bio-waste collection in the EU, slated to begin on the 1st of January 2024, lacks concrete collection targets which will pave the way for inadequate schemes that fail to address the issue at hand. Bio-waste holds immense potential for recycling valuable resources. Yet, evidence shows that without a concerted effort to capture and utilise bio-waste, we will fall short of the ambitious 65% recycling target by 2035. A mere 34% of the total bio-waste was collected in 2018, leaving a staggering 40 million tonnes of potential soil nutrients to be discarded, polluting our environment and squandering invaluable resources. Our environment, our communities, and our future generations deserve better.

The signatories of this joint letter, including MEPs, environmental organisations, and industry leaders, demand mandatory targets on bio-waste reduction within the current revision of the WFD, and call on the European Commission to provide proper guidance and tools to Member States to achieve them. Adopting specific targets for biowaste in residual waste aims to incentivize proper collection and recycling practices.

Open letter to the European Commission on keeping up the ambition in times of crisis

Together with 29 other organisations and associations, Zero Waste Europe (ZWE) sent an open letter to the President of the European Commission, the Executive-Vice-President, the Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries and the Commissioner for lnternal Market on the topic of the current energy crisis. In the letter, the signatories state their concerns regarding the European project not being capable of delivering on its objectives of peace, prosperity, and equality with the current policies. The signatories urge the Commission to redouble its efforts to increase resource efficiency and decarbonise production and consumption. Consequently, the policies on circularity and net-zero should be reinforced and remain at the top of the EU agenda.

Letter on the GHG emissions saving methodology for RCF

Zero Waste Europe, ECOS, European Environmental Bureau (EEB), Transport & Environment (T&E), Bellona and Polish Zero Waste Association sent a joint letter to the Permanent Representations as well as the ENVI and ITRE rapporteurs and shadows of the Renewable Energy Directive on the GHG emissions of waste-based recycled carbon fuels ahead of the third trilogue meeting on 14 December 2022. The letter underlines the importance of taking the carbon content of feedstock when analyzing low carbon fuels.

Joint letter – Inclusion of waste incineration in the EU ETS

In a joint letter addressed to the Permanent Representations of EU member states, Zero Waste Europe and 17 other civil society organisations urge the EU to reduce its municipal waste incineration capacities; and to fully exploit the climate protection potential of waste prevention and recycling, in order to achieve the EU’s climate protection targets.

Available in English.

Open letter to the European Commission regarding the revision of the Waste Framework Directive

With the support of 10 Members of the European Parliament and 47 other NGOs, Zero Waste Europe has sent an open letter to EU Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries, Virginijus Sinkevičius, calling for urgent action in order to tackle the waste crisis. In the letter, the signatories state their concerns regarding the Waste Framework Directive revision’s very limited scope. The signatories urge the Commission to adopt legally binding, European-level quantitative targets for municipal solid waste prevention.

NGO letter to Ursula von der Leyen on REACH and CLP reform

This NGO letter, spearheaded by the European Environmental Bureau (EBB) and co-signed by Zero Waste Europe, pleads with the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, to see an opportunity for change in current crises. It highlights the importance of continuing to pursue the achievement of the zero pollution vision by implementing the detoxification and decarbonisation agenda of the EU’s Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability without further delays.

Available in English.

Joint Letter to DG FISMA on the manufacture of plastic packaging goods

ZWE, ClientEarth, DUH, ECOS, EEB and Sekab sent a joint letter to the European Commission on the clarification on the manufacture of plastic packaging goods in the fourth delegated act of the EU Taxonomy.

The letter puts forward a number of recommendations to ensure appropriate technical screening criteria that are in line with a transition towards a circular economy.

Available in English.

Letter on the role of incineration in Ukraine’s Recovery Plan

Zero Waste Europe (ZWE), Zero Waste Alliance Ukraine (ZWAU) and Break Free From Plastic (BFFP) sent a letter to the President of the European Commission concerning the role of incineration in Ukraine’s Recovery Plan. The letter puts forward a number of concerns related to the prospective EU funding facilitating the increase of incineration capacity in Ukraine as part of the country’s recovery plan.

Available in English.

NGO letter to REACH Committee June 2022

In this letter led by the European Environmental Bureau (EEB) to the REACH Committee, ZWE joined a wide group of NGOs advocating for health and environmental protection. The letter flags the outstanding issue of delays in relation to the intentionally added microplastics and the lead in PVC restrictions, as well as the identification of resorcinol as a substance of very high concern (SVHC).

Available in English.

Open letter on Hazardous Chemicals and Food Safety – recycled plastic in food packaging (updated rules)

Zero Waste Europe and 27 other civil society organisations across Europe have sent an open letter to the EU Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, Stella Kyriakides, stating their concerns about some of the proposals in the draft new Regulation concerning the placing on the market of plastic materials and articles with recycled/secondary plastic content intended for use in contact with food. The signatories also urge the EU Commission to delay this proposal on the grounds of safety assurance.

Open Letter to European Commission: French proposal for an EU restriction of highly hazardous substances in single-use baby diapers

Zero Waste Europe, EEB and other civil society organisations are appealing to the European Commission to accept the French authorities (ANSES) proposal to restrict a group of extremely hazardous substances in baby diapers throughout the EU under the REACH Regulation. The organisations draw the attention to the Commission’s key responsibility to take into account the particular vulnerability of the newborns and toddlers that this important restriction aims to protect.

Open letter to the European Parliament – Liability obligations for online marketplaces must be incorporated into the DSA to protect consumers and the environment from illegal imports

With the current proposal of the Digital Services Act (DSA) continuing to fail making online marketplace responsible when illegal content is distributed via their platform, Zero Waste Europe joined Deutsche Umwelthilfe and the European Environmental Bureau (EEB) in a joint letter  to European Parliament asking for significant and impactful amendments.

 

Available in English.

Joint NGO letter to the REACH Committee

Zero Waste Europe joined the European Environmental Bureau (EEB) and 12 other organisations to request a restriction on all forms of lead-contained in PVC by setting equal-stringent thresholds for lead in virgin and recycled PVC.

 

Available in English.