The EUROCITIES statement on plastic strategy and single use plastics is now out.
EUROCITIES welcomes the ambition of the European Commission’s separate strategy on plastics in a circular economy, as well as the proposed directive on the reduction of the impact of certain plastics products. However, to tackle environmental problems and encourage better resource management of plastics, we recommend:
- widening the scope of the single use plastics directive and extending it to a greater range of plastic products to reinforce a shift from a recycling based approach to a prevention based one
- extended producer responsibility (EPR) schemes that gives industry more responsibility regarding investments and waste management process costs, while enabling stronger cooperation between all stakeholders in the value chain
- clear definition of biodegradable plastics and restriction of their use where biodegradability has a specific purpose
- setting reuse targets for multi-use packaging
The full version of the statement can be downloaded at the link below: Eurocities statement on plastics
