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Bureau ofInternational Recycling welcomes European Parliament vote revising the WasteFramework Directive

Onbehalf of its EU members, the Bureau of International Recycling (BIR)welcomes the vote of the European Parliament in Strasbourg today,which endorses the compromise to revise the Waste Framework Directivereached by the Rapporteur Caroline Jackson with the Council ofMinisters.

Thismodernisation of waste management in the EU in favour of a priorityorder of waste prevention, re-use and recycling will help withclimate protection given that recycling in particular saves ongreenhouse gas emissions in comparison with primary production. Atthe same time, recycling saves resources of both energy andmaterials.

“TheBureau of International Recycling had since the 1990s been promotingthe need for a legal process to determine when waste ceases to bewaste,” said Ross Bartley, Environmental and Technical Director ofBIR. “Early waste management laws defined so easily whatconstituted waste. But now, to encourage higher standards ofrecycling and the marketing of better-quality recyclables, theEuropean Parliament’s setting of conditions for ‘Waste to ceaseto be waste’ is much needed.”  

Therevision of the Waste Framework Directive brings much-needed legalclarity in particular to the definitions and distinctions used by thelaw. Higher standards are demanded for the technical andorganisational requirements regarding collection, segregation andtreatment of wastes. The revised law enables the wished-for“Recycling Society”, recognising the need for higher recovery andrecycling quotas now and in the future, and the need for incentivesto prevent waste. All the elements included help towards properresource protection.

TheBureau of International Recycling strongly approves and encouragesbetter regulation for recyclers around the globe. This revised EU lawpaves the way for resource efficiency and sustainablematerialsmanagement.