After many months of uncertainty, the College of Commissioners quietly approved the 2015 work programme, including the withdrawal of the Circular Economy package, otherwise known as the Waste Target Reform proposal.

Working together with a coalition of Brussels-based NGO’s, Seas At Risk has been fighting since November to save the package. Despite the Environment Council, European Parliament and a wide variety of business stakeholders showing their support, the Commission has chosen to go ahead and drop the proposal; a sacrifice on the altar of deregulation. The reason cited for the withdrawal of the package, which has been in the making for years, was that it was not comprehensive enough and looked only at waste, instead of the full circle of production.

The Commission has committed to issuing a new proposal by the end of 2015, which they maintain will be more ambitious, will take into account the wide variety of waste management levels in different member states, and look at other policy areas, such as product design, to ensure the right framework for a circular economy.

Seas at Risk will be working to ensure that ‘more ambition’ means that the high waste-recycling targets from the old package remain, with added ambition coming from measures to prevent waste from being created in the first place. The main objective we are seeking is a reduction of marine litter at source. We welcome any move towards better production policies, ensuring that all products are durable, repairable and recyclable. Single-use items such as plastic cups, bags, beverage bottles, etc. have no place in a circular economy, and make up a significant percentage of the waste in our oceans.

Related News:

• Circular Economy
• Seas at Risk

Photo courtesy of Divecorner, Switzerland