Plastic pollution continues to pose a major challenge for communities across Europe, and the question of who should finance the management of litter has become increasingly important. This first ACR+ policy paper on litter evaluates the progress made by Member States in establishing and rolling out the EPR systems required by Article 8 of the Single Use Plastics Directive (SUPD).
It finds that few Member States have started implementing these systems. It is easier to establish systems for packaging-related SUPD products (because of the EPR systems already in place) than for new products such as balloons and wet wipes.
However, the most challenging part of the implementation is the calculation of littering costs. Public authorities pay the bulk of this, but more transparency is needed.
Paper recycling is one of Europe’s greatest circular economy achievements. However, regulatory fragmentation, market imbalances and rising operational risks are placing pressure on recyclers.
Recycling Europe calls on EU policymakers to act. This manifesto proposes four measures to safeguard the success story of paper recycling:
Design circular paper products: recycling should be expected and the CEA should drive demand;
Reduce EU administrative burdens: EU-wide rules on end-of-waste criteria for recovered paper and shipments are needed;
Secure access to global markets for recovered paper: not all recovered paper can be re-used within Europe;
Address the fire risk from lithium batteries in waste management facilities: proper waste sorting is crucial.
Specialists, companies and key stakeholders from the packaging value chain will address the challenges and opportunities posed by the transition toward more sustainable models and explore the latest trends in barrier packaging materials and solutions.
This webinar will look at how the EU Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) is affecting Indian textile and fashion suppliers exporting to the EU. It will explain what is involved and what exporters need to do to comply with the rules.
With a significant number of ships expected to reach the end of their service life shortly, ship recycling presents a strategic opportunity for Europe. Boosting domestic ship recycling will:
secure a steady supply of secondary raw materials and so strengthen Europe’s industrial resilience and strategic autonomy;
make a meaningful contribution to the decarbonisation of the EU steel and construction sectors, supporting Europe’s broader climate and circular economy goals;
create green jobs in the recycling and waste management sector;
align with EU environmental policies preventing the export of hazardous materials and restrict exports of waste that harm the environment and human health in third countries.
The distribution and consumption of second-hand clothing have evolved into a rapidly expanding market that spans multiple countries, some where these garments are worn, discarded and accumulated, and others where they are imported, distributed and consumed. The result is a complex network of North–South global circuits.
This report is the outcome of the GreenCCircuit project which aims to contribute to development education in the context of the circular economy in the textile and clothing sector in the Ibero-American space, particularly Mozambique and Mexico.
The report uses Portugal as an example of exporting countries, while Mozambique and Mexico are illustrative of recipient countries. It concludes that the social and economic aspects are both vital.
Circul'R believes that it is vital to unite regulation, innovation and cooperation if circularity is to drive competitiveness and sovereignty. It feels that it is a mistake to prioritise recycling over circular business models, such as repair and reuse.
It therefore recommends:
supporting circular business models by making them more competitive and boosting market access and financing,
setting an EU target for reducing the material footprint, involving reducing consumption and coming up with more reliable and comprehensive indicators,
changing the tax environment, including incentives for circular solutions and disincentives for linear ones, establishing European standards on repairability and binding circular targets and models of circular-oriented public procurement.
This joint statement is a collaborative effort by the Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership, Ellen MacArthur Foundation, Environmental Coalition on Standards, European Environmental Bureau, Institute for European Environmental Policy, Reuse and Recycling European Union Social Enterprises (RREUSE) and Zero Waste Europe.
It calls for the Act to embed circular economy principles into Europe’s entire economic system. It underscores the urgent need for robust legislation that can accelerate the transition and secure the EU's leadership in the global circular economy.
Key points:
Set science-based targets on resource use
Harness the potential of keeping products and components in use, not just materials
Accelerate safe material circulation by integrating chemical and circular legislation.
A number of ECESP Coordination Group members have published their contributions to the call for evidence on the Circular Economy Act, to be proposed next year. The Group covers a wide spectrum of interests, and this necessarily influences their views on what should be included in the CEA and just how the Act should drive on the circular economy. Have a look!
Drawing on more than 30 years' experience, lessons learned from EU-funded projects and the expertise of local and regional authorities across Europe, ACR+ is sharing its recommendations for the Circular Economy Act.
This position paper outlines 26 recommendations to strengthen the EU’s circular transition, focusing on:
Establish a Circular Single Market with binding targets to increase circular material use and reduce residual waste;
Leverage public procurement to drive demand for sustainable and circular products;
Reinforce EPR to support prevention, repair and reuse;
Tackle WEEE through stronger collection, treatment and recovery of critical raw materials;
Create a more circular built environment via sustainable (de)construction practices;
