Strategy for Plastics in the Circular Economy

The European Union’s Strategy for Plastics in the Circular Economy has set in motion a comprehensive set of initiatives, with business and governments responding to a challenge of serious public concern. These initiatives include increasing the uptake of recycled plastics and contributing to more sustainable use of plastics by implementing mandatory requirements for recycled content and waste reduction measures [UNEP, 2021].

Waste Governance 

Similarly, within the European Union there is a waste governance landscape comprising policy structures, regulations and standards at multiple administrative levels aimed at reducing and recovering materials over the resource life cycle. The specific directives are discussed below.

Member State Commitments

European Union Member States have also established targets to achieve a 90 per cent collection target for plastic bottles by 2029; plastic bottles must have at least 25 per cent recycled content by 2025 and 30 per cent by 2030.

Relevant Directives

The relevant European Union Directives in this area are:  

• 2000 Water Framework Directive (WFD);
• 2008 Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD);
• 2008 Waste Framework Directive;
• 2019 Single-Use Plastics Directive.

WFD and MSFD

Overlapping spatially (the WFD extends to 1nm from the coastline, the MSFD covers all of the Exclusive Economic Zone from the territorial baseline) and conceptually, the WFD and MSFD reflect a movement towards an integrated approach to the interface of freshwater, coastal and marine waters. 

• The MSFD requires the development of marine strategies or measures to achieve “good environmental status” by the year 2020. Taking into account ecosystem structure and functioning, the MSFD is the first European directive to be based on an ecosystem approach to management [UNEP, 2021].
• The assessment of “good environmental status” is based on qualitative descriptors contained in Annex I of the Directive, including ensuring that “properties and quantities of marine litter do not cause harm to the coastal and marine environment”.

Waste Framework Directive

The EU’s Waste Framework Directive (2008/98/EC) of 19 November 2008 establishes the legislative framework for the handling of waste within the EU. It applies a number of obligations on EU member states that are relevant to the control plastic pollution and marine plastics, including the following waste hierarchy:

1. Prevention;
2. Preparing for re-use;
3. Recycling;
4. Other recovery, e.g. energy recovery;
5. Disposal.

Single-use Plastics Directive

EU rules on single-use plastic products aim to prevent and reduce the impact of certain plastic products on the environment, in particular the marine environment, and on human health. They also aim to promote the transition to a circular economy with innovative and sustainable business models, products and materials. The Directive targets the 10 most commonly found single-use plastic items on European beaches, alongside fishing gear, which represent 70% of all marine litter in the EU. These are:

• Cotton bud sticks
• Cutlery, plates, straws and stirrers
• Balloons and sticks for balloons
• Food containers
• Cups for beverages
• Beverage containers
• Cigarette buts
• Plastic bags
• Packets and wrappers
• Wet wipes and sanitary items

Cotton bud sticks, cutlery, plates, straws, stirrers, and sticks for balloons, cups, food and beverage containers made of expanded polystyrene, and all products made of oxo-degradable plastic:

• Cannot be placed on the markets of EU Member States where sustainable alternatives are easily available and affordable.

All other single-use plastic products:

• The EU is focusing on limiting their use through:
  • Awareness-raising measures;
  • Introducing design requirements, such as a requirements to connect caps to bottles;
  • Labelling requirements;
  • Waste management and clean-up obligations for producers, including Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) schemes.

Specific targets under the Directive include:

• A 77% separate collection target for plastic bottles by 2025 – increasing to 90% by 2029
• Incorporating 25% of recycled plastic in PET beverage bottles from 2025, and 30% in all plastic beverage bottles from 2030.