Agreement on Waste Framework Directive revisions reached

The European Council and the European Parliament have reached an agreement on the Waste Framework Directive revisions with new recycling targets.

The agreed revisions form a major part of the Circular Economy package. They were put forward by the European Commission and decided on at extended meetings in Brussels.

New targets have been set in the revisions for recycling and landfill diversion, and extra time for landfill diversion targets are understood to have been agreed for some member states while recycling targets will be above current rates of 50 per cent by 2020 and will be set for 2025 and 2030 again with some country specific allowances.

The next stage will be formal approval by member states.

The UK has already indicated that it will pass the proposals into UK law once it leaves the European Union.

This provisional deal amends six pieces of legislation: Waste Framework Directive; packaging waste directive; landfill directive; and directives on electrical and electronic waste, on end-of-life vehicles, and on batteries and accumulators and waste batteries and accumulators.

Next on the European agenda is plastics, addressing issues such as recyclability, biodegradability, and the presence of hazardous substances of concern in certain plastics and marine litter.

Clyde Kull, Estonia’s deputy permanent representative to the EU who oversaw the deal, said: “We’ve just reached a provisional agreement with the European Parliament on the waste package. One of the biggest achievements of our Presidency, huge amount of work done by the team. We thank our partners and hope for Member States’ endorsement in January.”

A spokesperson for the European Council said: “These new targets and rules will promote a more circular economy. It will also boost growth and jobs, protect our environment, encourage sustainability and improve people’s health and well-being.”

Slim Krisler, Estonia’s minister for the environment of the Republic of Estonia, said: “In the EU, nearly a third of municipal waste is landfilled, with a limited share of the total being recycled. With this agreement, EU member states are committing to clear EU targets on reuse, recycling and landfilling and rules to improve the management of different waste streams.

“This will help accelerate our transition towards a circular economy and minimise our impact on the planet. I want to sincerely thank the previous Council presidencies, the Parliament and the Commission for their dedication to this file. I hope the member states can now endorse this well-balanced and thoroughly negotiated compromise.”